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( 

r 


Salem  Gazette  Presi. 


TUFTS   UNIVERSITY   LIBRARIES 


3   9090  013  418   542 


( 


Slninr.  school  Of  veterinary  JMine  at 

Tutts  University 
200  Westboro  Road 
North  Grafton,  MA  01 536 


#s-^. 


THE 


HORSE'S  FOOT, 


AND 


HOW    TO    KEEP    IT    SOUND 


iDitl)  lUnatrationa. 


BY    WILLIAM    MILES,    ESQ. 


FROM  THE  THIRD  LONDON  EDITION. 

NEW   YOEK: 

C   M.    SAXTON    &    COMPANY, 

Agriccltubal  Book  Pcbushkrs,  140  Fwzoy  St. 

1856. 


\o^^ 


PREFACE 


f  n^^e,  bren  induced,  at  the  solicitation  of  several 
friends,  who  have  deplored  to  me  their  total  want  of  any- 
thing like  useful  or  practical  knowledge  upon  the  subject 
of  shoeing,  to  embody  for  their  guidance  some  rough  notes 
which  I  had  made  upon  soundness  of  the  horse's  foot  in 
general,  and  on  shoeing  in  particular.  In  offering  them  to 
the  public,  I  beg  to  premise  that  I  have  not  the  smallest 
intention  of  what  is  called  writing  a  book, — least  of  all,  a 
scientific  book.  My  sole  object  is  to  communicate,  in  the 
most  familiar  language  the  subject  will  admit  of,  the  result 
of  several  years'  observation,  and  of  much  tedious  experi- 
ment, undertaken  w^ith  a  view  of  ascertaining  what  mode 
of  shoeing,  system  of  stabling,  and  quantity  of  exercise, 
promised  the  fairest  prospect  of  preserving  the  foot  of  the 
horse  in  soundness  and  comfort  to  himself,  and  usefulness 
to  his  owner  for  the  longest  period. 

I  disclaim  all  pretension  to  any  nev/  discovery  in  th.e  art 
of  shoeing ; — amateurs'  discoveries  are,  for  the  most  part, 
of  small  value.  I  have  preferred  unscrupulously  availing 
myself  of  the  labors  of  professional  and  practical  men, — - 
by  carefully  examining  their  systems — trying  their  plans 
— and  ultimately  adopting  that  which  appeared  the  best 
calculated  to  ensure  success.     If,  in  what  follows,  I  am 


4  PREFACE. 

accused  of  entering  too  minutely  into  matters  of  detail,  m]» 
answer  must  be,  that  I  write  exclusively  for  the  informa- 
tion of  the  uninformed,  including  those  who  are  unwilling, 
as  well  as  those  who  are  incompetent  to  wade  through  the 
various  elaborate  and  conflicting  treatises  already  published 
upon  the  horse's  foot,  and  who  are  of  necessity  compelled 
to  yield  implicitly  in  all  such  matters  to  the  eocperience  of 
others, — w4iose  ex'perience  will  generally  be  found  to  re- 
solve itself  into  untiring  'perseverance  in  one  unvaried 
plan  for  a  series  of  years. 

My  aim  has  been,  by  keeping  out  of  view  every  thing 
not  essential,  and  presenting  only  those  things  that  are 
practical,  to  render  a  hitherto  difficult  and  little  under- 
stood subject  familiar  and  easy.  If  I  have  in  any  degree 
succeeded,  I  shall  feel  myself  amply  repaid  for  whatever 
pains  it  may  have  cost  me. 


CONTENTS. 


pxax 

Description  of  the  foot 7 

Tile  horny  crust 7 

The  sole 8 

The  frog 9 

Tlie  bones  of  the  foot 10 

The  lateral  cartilages 11 

The  sensitive  sole 11 

The  sensitive  frog 12 

The  elastic  cushion  or  fatty  frog 12 

The  coffin  joint 12 

The  navicular  joint 12 

The  natural  form  of  the  foot 13 

Removing  the  old  shoe 13 

Preparation  of  the  foot  for  receiving  a  new  shoe 13 

Rasping  the  crust 14 

Paring  the  foot 14 

Reasons  for  varying  the  paring  out  of  fest  at  different  seasons 14 

Different  feet  require  different  treatment 15 

General  directions  for  preparing  the  foot 15 

*'  Opening  out  the  heels"  condemned , 15 

Reasons  for  never  allowing  a  knife  to  approach,  the  frog 16 

Weight  of  the  shoe 18 

Width  of  the  web 18 

Objections  to  shoes  *'  well  set  off  at  the  heels" 18 

The  effect  of  such  shoes  upon  the  navicular  joint 19 

The  foot  does  not  receive  its  form  from  the  shoe 20 

The  situation  of  the  nails  determines  the  form  of  the  foot 20 

The  form  of  the  shoe 21 

Objections  to  thick-heeled  slices... 21 

The  toe  turned  up  out  of  the  line  of  wear 21 

Steel  at  the  toe  objectionable 21 

A  clip  at  the  toe  desirable 21 

The  shoe  should  not  be  too  short 22 

A  flat  surface  for  the  crust  to  bear  upon 22 

The  nail-holes  in  the  flat  surface,  and  not  partly  in  it  and  partly  in  the 

seating 22 

The  seating 22 

Tiie  ground  surface 22 

No  objection  to  the  application  of  a  hot  shoe  to  the  foot  to  ascertain  its 

bearings 22 

Reasons  for  removing  the  shoes  every  two  or  three  weeks 23 

Number  and  situation  of  the  nails 23 

More  nails  than  are  necessary  not  merely  useless , , 24 

1* 


6  CONTENTS. 

TAaM 

Five  naiis  employed,— but  six  recommended , 25 

Reasons  for  recommending  six  nails 25 

How  expansion  of  the  foot  is  permitted  by  one-sided  nailing 26 

Corns  cured  by  one-sided  nailing  with  five  nails 27 

Evidence  of  a  commercial  traveller  in  favor  of  one-sided  nailing  with  five 

nails  only 27 

Remarks  upon  shoeing  with  leather 28 

The  hind  shoe  considered 29 

Objections  to  the  general  use  of  "  Calkins" 29 

Clips 30 

The  cause  and  prevention  of  "  forging" 30 

•'  Overreach' '  how  produced  and  how  prevented 31 

A  plan  for  detecting  the  exact  part  of  the  shoe  with  which  a  horse  **  cuts"  31 

Reasons  against  shoeing  horses  in  the  stable,  away  from  the  forge 32 

General  observations  upon  shoeing  hunters,  and  plating  race-horses 33 

The  situation  of  the  nails  a  common  cause  of  horses  losing  their  races 34 

The  effect  of  the  loss  of  one  inch  upon  each  stride  in  running  over  the 

Derby  course 34 

The  advantages  of  a  loose  box. 35 

The  disadvantages  of  stalls  shown  in  the  number  of  horses  cast  by  cavalry 

regiments G6 

The  objections  commonly  urged  against  loose  boxes 38 

The  bet  t  mode  of  converting  stalls  into  loose  boxes 38 

The  real — but  unurged — objection  to  loose  boxes 38 

Horses  having  always  been  kept  in  stalls,  no  argument  against  its  being 

hurtful  to  them 33 

New  form  of  muzzle  recommended,  instead  of  the  two  objectionable  forms 

in  common  use 40 

Meaning  of  the  word  "  sound,"  as  applied  to  horses'  feet 40 

A  foot  afflicted  with  inflammation  and  pain— not  sound 41 

'*  Pointing" — not  merely  a  trick— but  a  symptom  of  unsoundness 41 

Perfectly  sound  feet  among  horses  in  work  very  rare,  and  not  absolutely 

essential — nevertheless  very  desirable 42 

The  importance  of  regular  daily  exercise  to  the  soundness  of  horses'  feet . .  42 

Treatment  of  the  foot  in  the  stable 44 

A  useful  hoof  ointment 44 

The  best  mode  of  applying  moisture 44 

Morning  the  fittest  time  for  the  application  of  cold  water  to  the  feet 45 

Stopping  the  feet  at  night  recommended 45 

Cow-dung  a  good  stopping 45 

No  fear  of  producing  thrushes  by  moist  stopping 45 

Bad  shoeing  the  real  cause  of  thrushes 45 

Two  cases  of  thrushes  cured  by  standing  on  wet  sawdust  without  shoes  ...  45 

Standing  on  wet  sawdust  in  a  loose  box  preferred  to  turning  out 45 

Va.ue  of  a  general  warranty  considered ♦ 49 


THE  HORSE'S  FOOT,  &c. 


In  describing  the  various  parts  which  compose  the  horse^s 
foot,  it  shall  be  my  endeavor  to  avoid,  as  much  as  possible, 
all  minute  anatomical  details  and  scientific  technical  terms, 
and  to  confine  myself  to  a  plain  description  of  those  parts 
only,  a  general  knowledge  of  which  is  essential  to  the  full 
understanding  of  what  is  right,  and  what  wrong,  in  the  for- 
mation and  application  of  the  horse's  shoe. 

The  hoof  is  divided  into  horny  crust  or  wall,  sole,  and 
frog. 

The  horny  crust  is  secreted  by  the  numerous  blood-vessels 
of  that  soft  protruding  band  which  encircles  the  upper  edge 
of  the  hoof,  immediately  beneath  the  termination  of  the  hair ; 
and  is  divided  into  toe,  quarters,  heels,  and  bars.*  Its  texture 
is  insensible,  but  elastic  throughout  its  whole  extent ;  and, 
yielding  to  the  weight  of  the  horse,  allows  the  horny  sole  to 
descend,  whereby  much  inconvenient  concussion  to  the  in- 
ternal parts  of  the  foot  is  avoided.  But  if  a  large  portion 
of  the  circumference  of  the  foot  be  fettered  by  iron  and  nails, 
it  is  obvious  that  that  portion,  at  least,  cannot  expand  as  be- 
fore ;  and  the  beautiful  and  efficient  apparatus  for  effecting 
this  necessary  elasticity,  being  no  longer  allowed  to  act  by 
reason  of  these  restraints,  becomes  altered  in  structure :  and 
the  continued  operation  of  the  same  causes,  in  the  end,  cir- 
cumscribes the  elasticity  to  those  parts  alone  where  no  nails 
have  been  driven, — giving  rise  to  a  train  of  consequences 
destructive  to  the  soundness  of  the  foot,  and  fatal  to  the  use- 
fulness of  the  horse. 

The  toe  of  the  fore  foot  is  the  thickest  and  strongest  por- 
tion of  the  hoof,  and  is  in  consequence  less  expansive  than 
any  other  part,  and  therefore  better  calculated  to  resist  the 

•  Page  47,  figs.  1  and  2. 


8  THE   HORSE'S    FOOT, 

effect  of  the  nails  and  shoe.  The  thickness  of  the  horn 
gradually  diminishes  towards  the  quarters  and  heels,  particu- 
larly on  the  inner  side  of  the  foot,  whereby  the  power  of  yield- 
ing and  expanding  to  the  weight  of  the  horse  is  proportionably 
increased,  clearly  indicating  that  those  parts  cannot  be  nailed 
to  an  unyielding  bar  of  iron,  without  a  most  mischievous 
interference  with  the  natural  functions  of  the  foot.  In  the 
hind  foot,  the  greatest  thickness  of  horn  will  be  found  at  the 
quarters  and  heels,  and  not,  as  in  the  fore  foot,  at  the  toe. 
This  difference  in  the  thickness  of  horn  is  beautifully  adapted 
to  the  inequality  of  the  weight  which  each  has  to  sustain,  {he 
force  with  which  it  is  applied,  and  the  portions  of  the  hoof 
upon  which  it  falls.  The  toe  of  the  fore  foot  encounters  the 
combined  force  and  weight  of  the  fore  hand  and  body,  and 
consequently  in  a  state  of  nature  is  exposed  to  considerable 
wear  and  tear,  and  calls  for  greater  strength  and  substance 
of  horn  than  is  needed  by  any  portion  of  the  hind  foot,  where 
the  duty  of  supporting  the  hinder  parts  alone  is  distributed 
over  the  quarters  and  heels  of  both  sides  of  the  foot. 

The  bars  are  continuations  of  the  wall,  reflected  at  the 
heels  towards  the  centre  of  the  foot,  where  they  meet  in  a 
point,  leaving  a  triangular  space  between  them  for  the  frog. 

The  whole  inner  surface  of  the  horny  crust,  from  the  cen- 
tre of  the  toe  to  the  point  where  the  bars  meet,  is  everywhere 
lined  with  innumerable  narrow,  thin,  and  projecting  horny 
plates,*  which  extend  in  a  slanting  direction  from  the  uppei 
edge  of  the  wall  to  the  line  of  junction  between  it  and  the 
sole,  and  possess  great  elasticity.  These  projecting  plates 
are  the  means  of  greatly  extending  the  surface  of  attach- 
ment of  the  hoof  to  the  coffin  bone,  which  is  likewise  covered 
by  a  similar  arrangement  of  projecting  plates,  but  of  a  highly 
vascular  and  sensitive  character ;  and  these,  dovetailing  with 
the  horny  projections  above  named,  constitute  a  union  com- 
bining strength  and  elasticity  in  a  wonderful  degree. 

The  horny  sole  covers  the  whole  inferior  surface  of  the 
foot,  excepting  the  frog.  In  a  well-formed  foot  it  presents 
an  arched  appearance  and  possesses  considerable  elasticity, 
by  virtue  of  which  it  ascends  and  descends,  as  the  weight 
above  is  either  suddenly  removed  from  it,  or  forcibly  applied 
to  it.  This  descending  property  of  the  sole  calls  for  our 
especial  consideration  in  directing  the  form  of  the  shoe ;  for, 
if  the  shoe  be  so  formed  that  the  horny  sole  rests  upon  it,  it 

•  Page  48,  fig.  2. 


AZ^D    HOW    :0    KEEP    IT    SOUND.  9 

cannot  descend  lower ;  and  the  sensible  sole  above,  becoming 
squeezed  between  the  edges  of  the  coffin  bone  and  the  horn, 
produces  inflammation,  and  perhaps  abscess.  The  eriect  of 
this  squeezing  of  the  sensible  sole  is  most  commonly  wit- 
nessed at  the  angle  of  the  inner  heel,  where  the  descending 
heel  of  the  coffin  bone,  forcibly  pressing  the  vascular  sole 
upon  the  horny  sole,  ruptures  a  small  blood-vessel,  and  pro- 
duces what  is  called  a  corn,  but  which  is,  in  fact,  a  bruise. 

The  horny  frog  occupies  the  greater  part  of  the  triangular 
space  between  the  bars,  and  extends  from  the  hindermost 
part  of  the  foot  to  the  centre  of  the  sole,  just  over  the  point 
where  the  bars  meet ;  but  is  united  to  them  only  at  their 
upper  edge  :  the  sides  remain  unattached  and  separate,  and 
form  the  channels  called  the  "Commissures."* 

The  frog  is  evidently  designed  for  very  important  uses ; 
but,  as  our  object  is  purely  practical,  and  not  speculative,  we 
will  not  stop  to  inquire,  whether  its  chief  office  is  to  expand 
the  foot,  and  prevent  contraction  or  not — which  is  debatable 
ground — but  proceed  to  consider  it  in  a  point  of  view  bearing 
more  usefully  on  our  subject,  viz.,  as  the  part  which  offers 
us  the  best  criterion  whereby  to  judge  of  the  effect  of  our 
shoeing  upon  the  foot  generally ;  for  no  part  undergoes  so 
much  change  from  bad  shoeing,  or  exhibits  it  so  soon,  as  the 
frog.  If  we  carefully  observe  the  form  and  size  of  the  frog 
in  the  foot  of  a  oolt  of  from  four  to  five  years  old,  at  its  first 
shoeing,  and  then  note  the  changes  which  it  undergoes  as  the 
shoeings  are  repeated,  we  shall  soon  be  convinced  that  a 
visible  departure  from  a  state  of  health  and  nature  is  taking 
place.  At  first  it  will  be  found  large  and  full,  with  consider- 
able elasticity  ;  the  cleft  oval  in  form,  open,  and  expanding, 
■^ith  a  continuous,  well-defined,  and  somewhat  elevated  boun- 
cary ;  the  bulbs  at  the  heels  fully  developed,  plump,  and 
rounded ;  and  the  whole  mass  occupying  about  one-sixth  of 
the  circumference  of  the  foot.f  By  degrees  the  fulness  and 
elasticity  will  be  observed  to  have  diminished;  the  bulbs  at 
the  heels  will  shrink,  and  lose  their  plumpness  ;  the  cleft  will 
become  narrower,  its  oval  form  disappear,  the  back  part  of 
its  boundary  give  way,  and  it  will  dwindle  into  a  narrow 
crack,  extended  back  between  the  wasted,  or  perhaps  obliter- 
ated bulbs,  presenting  only  the  miserable  remains  of  a  frog, 
such  as  may  be  seen  in  the  feet  of  most  horses  long  accus- 
tomed to  be  shod. 


Page  47,  fig.  1.  t  Ibid. 


10  PHE   horse's    foot, 

The  bones  proper  to  the  foot  are  three  in  number,  viz.-«-« 
the  coffin  bone,  the  navicular  bone,  and  part  of  the  coronet 
bone  :  they  are  contained  within  the  hoof,  and  combine  to 
form  the  coffin  joint  ;*  but  the  smallest  of  them,  the  navicular 
bone,  is  of  far  more  importance  as  connected  with  our  subject 
of  shoeing,  than  either  of  the  others  ;  for  upon  the  healthy 
condition  of  this  bone,  and  the  joint  formed  between  it  and  the 
tendon,  which  passes  under  it  to  the  coffin  bone,  and  is  called 
the  navicular  joint,  mainly  depends  the  usefulness  of  the 
horse  to  man. 

This  small  bone,f  which  in  a  horse  sixteen  hands  high 
measures  only  two  and  a  quarter  inches  in  its  longer  diameter, 
three  fourths  of  an  inch  at  the  widest  part  of  its  shorter 
diameter,  and  half  an  inch  in  thickness  in  the  centre,  its 
thickest  part,  has  the  upper  and  under  surfaces  and  part  of 
one  of  the  sides  overlaid  with  a  thin  coating  of  gristle,  and 
covered  by  a  delicate  secreting  membrane,  very  liable  upon 
the  slightest  injury  to  become  inflamed ;  it  is  unfortunately 
so  placed  in  the  foot  as  to  be  continually  exposed  to  danger ; 
being  situated  across  the  hoof,  behind  the  coffin  bone,  and 
immediately  under  the  coronet  bone  ;:]:  whereby  it  is  compelled 
to  receive  nearly  the  whole  weight  of  the  horse  each  time 
that  the  opposite  foot  is  raised  from  the  ground. 

The  coffin  bone§  consists  of  a  body  and  wings ;  and  is 
fitted  into  the  hoof,  which  it  closely  resembles  in  form.  Ita 
texture  is  particularly  light  and  spongy,  arising  from  the 
quantity  of  canals  or  tubes  that  traverse  its  substance  in 
every  direction,  affi^rding  to  numerous  blood-vessels  and  nerves 
a  safe  passage  to  the  sensitive  and  vascular  parts  surrounding 
it ;  while  the  unyielding  nature  of  the  bone  effectually  pro- 
tects them  from  compression  or  injury  under  every  variety 
of  movement  of  the  horse. 

In  an  unshod  foot  the  front  and  sides  of  the  coffin  bone  are 
deeply  furrowed  and  roughened,  to  secure  the  firmer  attach- 
ment  of  the  vascular  membranous  structui'e,  by  which  the 
bone  is  clothed ;  but  in  the  bone  of  a  foot  that  has  been  fre- 
quently shod,  this  appearance  is  greatly  changed,  the  furiow? 
and  roughness  giving  place  to  a  comparatively  smooth  surface 
This  change  I  imagine  to  be  produced  by  the  shoe  limiting 
if  not  destroying,  the  expansive  power  of  that  part  of  the  horn 
to  which  it  is  nailed ;  whereby  a  change  of  structure  in  the 
membrane  itself,  as  well  as  absorption  of  the  attaching  por- 

•  Page  50,  fig.  6.    t  Page  50,  fig.  5.    t  Page  50,  fig.  6.    §  Page  49,  fig.  4 


AND    HOW    TO    KEEP    IT    SOUND.  11 

tlons  of  the  bone,  is  induced  ;  for  it  is  an  invariable  law  of 
the  animal  economy  not  to  continue  to  unemployed  structures 
the  same  measure  of  efficient  reparation  that  is  extended  to 
parts  constantly  engaged  in  performing  their  allotted  tasks. 
The  shoe  restricts  or  prevents  expansion  ;  while  Nature,  as 
the  secret  influence  is  called,  immediately  sets  to  work  to 
simplify  the  apparatus  for  producing  the  expansion,  which 
art  has  thus  rendered  impracticable,  and  substitutes  f  jr  it  a 
new  structure,  less  finely  organized,  but  admirably  suited  to 
the  altered  condition  of  the  parts. 

The  wings  extend  from  the  body  of  the  bone  directly  back- 
wards, and  support  the  "lateral  cartilages"  of  the  foot. 

If  a  coffin  bone  be  placed  upon  a  flat  surface,  it  will  be 
seen  that  the  whole  of  the  front  of  the  toe  is  considerably 
raised  or  arched,  as  if  a  notch  had  been  cut  out  of  it,  giving 
it  almost  the  appearance  of  an  imperfect  bone.*  I  consider 
this  to  be  one  of  the  numerous  provisions  of  nature  for  dimin- 
ishing the  concussion  to  which  the  horse's  foot  is  so  constantly 
exposed  ;  for  if  the  toe  of  the  bone  corresponded  exactly  with 
the  toe  of  the  hoof,  a  shock  would  be  communicated  to  the 
whole  foot  each  time  it  struck  against  a  stone  or  other  pre- 
lecting substance  ;  whereas  this  intervening  space,  by  break- 
ing the  connection  of  the  parts,  almost  entirely  prevents  the 
transmission  of  the  jar.  This  conjecture  is  greatly  strength- 
ened by  the  fact,  that  the  coffin  bone  of  the  hind  foot,  where 
the  jar  would  be  less  felt,  presents  no  such  deficiency  at  the 
toe. 

The  coronet  bone  is  nearly  square  ;f  its  breadth  from  side 
to  side  exceeds  its  height  by  about  one-fifth ;  it  is  situated 
partly  within,  and  partly  without  the  hoof;:]:  it  supports  the 
pastern  bone,  and  rests  upon  the  coffin  and  navicular  bones. 

The  lateral  cartilages  are  attached  to  the  upper  edge  of 
the  wings  of  the  coffin  bone,  and  project  backwards  beyond 
the  bone,  giving  form  and  substance  to  the  heel.  About  half 
of  each  rises  above  the  hoof  as  high  as  the  pastern  joint,  and 
can  be  distinctly  felt  under  the  skin. 

The  sensitive  covering  to  the  coffin  bone  is  a  prolongation 
of  the  coronary  substance :  it  is  firmly  attached  to  the  surface 
of  the  bone,  and  is  collected  into  numerous  little  plaits  or  folds, 
which  run  in  parallel  slanting  lines  down  its  sides. 

The  sensitive  sole,  or,  as  it  is  sometimes  called,  the  fleshy 
sole,  is  about  the  eighth  of  an  inch  thick,  and  is  almost  entire- 

•  Page  49,  %.  4         t  Page  40,  fig.  3.        t  Page  50,  fig.  G. 


12  THE    horse's    foot, 

ly  made  up  of  blood-vessels  and  nerves  ;  it  is  one  of  the  most 
vascular  and  sensitive  parts  of  the  body,  and  is  attached  to  the 
lower  edge  of  the  sensitive  covering  of  the  coffin  bone, — to  the 
bars, — and  point  of  the  frog, — and  also  with  great  firmness 
to  the  whole  of  the  arched  under-surface  of  the  coffin  bone. 

The  sensitive  frog  includes  not  only  the  part  corresponding 
to  the  sensitive  sole,  but  also  the  peculiar  spongy  elastic  sub- 
stance which  intervenes  between  it  and  the  navicular  joint, 
and  fills  the  space  between  the  cartilages.  The  proper  sen- 
sitive frog  is  thicker,  and  less  finely  organized,  than  the  sen- 
sitive sole,  possessing  fewer  blood-vessels  and  nerves. 

The  coffin  joint  is  formed  by  portions  of  the  three  bones  of 
the  foot  meeting  together  within  the  hoof;*  and  is  furnished 
with  all  the  parts  necessary  to  constitute  a  perfect  joint.  It 
is  rarely,  if  ever,  the  original  seat  of  disease. 

The  navicular  joint.*]" — the  least  injury  to  which  entails 
such  disastrous  consequences. — is  merely  a  sort  of  false  joint, 
or  bag,  formed  between  the  under  surface  of  the  navicular 
bone,  and  the  upper  surface  of  the  tendon  of  the  muscle,  whose 
office  it  is  to  bend  the  foot,  by  acting  upon  the  coffin  bone. 
It  is  situated  beneath,  and  somewhat  behind  the  coffin  joints 
and  is  lined  throughout  by  a  delicate  secreting  membrane^ 
for  the  supply  of  the  fluid  necessary  to  the  even  sliding  of  the 
tendon  over  the  bone,  after  the  m.anner  of  a  pulley.  Any 
diminution  in  the  quantity  of  fluid,  either  from  inflammation 
of  the  membrane,  or  other  cause,  must  produce  friction  of  the 
sides  of  the  bag  upon  each  other,  and  lay  the  foundation  for 
that  train  of  fatal  effects  which  must  ensue,  under  such  cir- 
cumstances, to  a  part  so  constantly  and  vigorously  emploj^ed 
as  the  navicular  joint ; — viz.  first, — inflammation  of  the 
membrane, — then  ulceration  and  absorption  of  the  gristle, — 
and  lastly,  disease  of  the  bone  itself — a  speck  of  v.'hich,  no 
larger  than  a  pin's  head,  produces  lameness  that  defies  all  the 
powers  of  man  to  cure,  and  dooms  the  horse  to  a  life  of  pain 
and  misery  for  the  remainder  of  his  days. 

Before  treating  of  the  preparation  of  the  foot  for  the  recep- 
tion of  a  shoe,  it  is  desirable  to  correct  the  generally  received, 
but  erroneous  opinion,  that  the  shape  of  a  perfect  foot  is  cir- 
cular, or  very  nearly  so.  It  is  this  opinion  that  leads  the 
generality  of  smiths  to  direct  their  energies  towards  reducing 
the  foot  to  that  shape  as  soon  as  possible  ;  indeed  so  impatient 
are  some  persons  to  commence  this  work  of  setting  nature 

*  Page  50,  fig.  6,  t  Ibid 


AIMD    HOW    TO    KEEP    IT    SOUND.  13 

right,  that  they  cause  their  colts'  feet  to  be  "put  in  order," — 
as  the  mischievous  interference  is  called, — long  before  the 
process  of  "  breaking"  has  rendered  the  evil  of  shoeing  neces- 
sary. There  are  very  few  things  so  little  varied  in  nature  as 
the  form  of  the  ground  surface  of  horses'  feet ;  for  whether 
the  hoof  be  high-heeled  and  upright, — or  low-heeled  and 
flat, — large  or  small, — broad  or  narrow, — the  identical  form 
of  ground  surface  is  maintained  in  each,  so  long  as  it  is  left 
entirely  to  nature's  guidance.  The  outer  quarter,  back  to 
the  heel,  is  curved  considerably  and  abruptly  outwards,  while 
the  inner  quarter  is  carried  back  in  a  gradual  and  easy 
curve.*  The  advantage  of  this  form  is  so  obvious,  that  it  is 
matter  for  wonder  it  should  ever  be  interfered  with.  The 
enlarged  outer  quarter  extends  the  base  and  increases  the 
hold  of  the  foot  upon  the  ground  ;  while  the  straighter  inner 
quarter  lessens  the  risk  of  striking  the  foot  against  the  oppo- 
site lesf. 

It  should  surely  be  our  object  to  retain  these  valuable 
qualities  as  long  as  we  can,  and  not  lightly  sacrifice  either  of 
them  to  a  false  notion  of  what  may  be  considered  a  prettier 
form.  Whenever  we  observe  nature  steadily  persevering  in 
one  form,  or  one  plan,  depend  upon  it,  it  is  not  within  the 
range  of  man's  ingenuity  to  amend  it ;  and  he  will  better 
serve  his  own  interest  in  accommodating  his  views  to  her 
laws,  than  in  attempting  to  oppose  them.  In  this  spirit  let  us 
proceed  with  our  subject. 

Before  the  foot  can  be  prepared  for  receiving  a  new  shoe, 
it  will  be  necessary  to  remove  the  old  one  ;  in  doing  which 
great  care  should  be  taken  to  raise  all  the  clinches,*}"  and 
every  approach  to  violently  wrenching  it  off  should  be  scru- 
pulously avoided  ;  dragging  the  nails  with  their  turned  down 
ends  through  the  crust,  not  only  inflicts  pain  upon  the  horse 
by  their  pressure  on  the  sensitive  parts  within  the  hoof, — as 
is  evinced  by  his  flinching  and  struggling  to  free  his  foot  from 
the  grasp  of  the  smith, — but  separates  the  fibres  of  the  horn 
beyond  what  is  necessary,  and  interferes  with  the  future  nail- 
hold.  If  the  shoe  resist  a  moderate  effort  to  displace  it,  one 
or  two  of  the  nails,  that  appear  to  retain  it  the  most,  should 
be  partly  punched  out :  by  this  small  trouble  much  future  in- 
convenience will  be  saved,  the  enlargement  of  the  nail-holes 
prevented,  and  the  crust  left  in  a  firmer  and  sounder  state  to 
nail  to. 

•  Page  47,  fig.  1  t  Page  48,  fig.  2, 


14  THE    horse's    foot. 

The  foot  being  relieved  of  the  shoe,  should  have  the  edges 
of  the  crust  well  rasped  :  to  do  this  effectually  requires  a  de- 
gree of  force  calculated  to  arouse  the  fears  of  the  uninformed, 
and  to  make  them  suspect  something  like  wanton  destruction 
of  the  hoof.  It  is,  however,  only  removing  those  parts  which 
in  the  unshod  foot  would  have  been  worn  away  by  contact 
with  the  ground.  The  practice  is  further  beneficial  in  de- 
tecting any  stubs  that  may  chance  to  have  been  left  in  the 
nail-holes. 

The  operation  of  paring  out  the  foot  is  a  matter  requiring 
both  skill  and  judgment ;  and  is  moreover  a  work  of  some 
labor,  when  properly  performed.  It  will  be  found  that  the 
operator  errs  much  oftener  by  rem.oving  too  Utile,  than  too 
much ;  at  least  it  is  so  with  the  parts  that  ought  to  be  re- 
moved, which  are  sometimes  almost  as  hard  and  unyielding 
as  a  flint-stone,  and  in  their  most  favorable  state  require  con- 
siderable exertion  to  cut  through  :  the  frog,  on  the  other  hand, 
offers  so  little  resistance  to  the  knife,  and  presents  such  an 
even,  smooth,  clean-looking  surface  when  cut  through,  that  it 
requires  more  philosophy  than  falls  to  the  share  of  most 
smiths,  to  resist  the  temptation  to  slice  it  away,  despite  a 
knowledge  that  it  would  be  far  wiser  to  leave  it  alone. 

It  vould  be  impossible  to  frame  any  rule  applicable  to  the 
paring  out  of  all  horses'  feet,  or  indeed  to  the  feet  of  the  same 
horse  at  all  times :  for  instance,  it  is  manifestly  unwise  to 
pare  the  sole  as  thin  in  a  hot  dry  season,  when  the  roads  are 
broken  up,  and  strewed  with  loose  stones,  as  in  a  moderately 
wet  one,  when  they  are  well  bound  and  even ;  for  in  the  for- 
mer case  the  sole  is  in  perpetual  danger  of  being  bruised  by 
violent  contact  with  the  loose  stones,  and  consequently  needs 
a  thicker  layer  of  horn  for  its  protection  ;  while  the  latter 
case  offers  the  most  favorable  surface  that  most  of  our  horses 
ever  have  to  travel  upon,  and  should  be  taken  advantage  of 
for  a  thorough  paring  out  of  the  sole,  in  order  that  the  inter- 
nal parts  of  the  foot  may  derive  the  full  benefit  arising  from 
an  elastic  and  descending  sole ;  a  state  of  things  very  essen- 
tial to  the  due  performance  of  their  separate  functions. 
Again  :  in  horses  with  upright  feet  and  high  heels  horn 
grows  very  abundantly,  especially  towards  the  toe  ;  and  such 
are  always  benefited  by  having  the  toe  shortened,  the  heels 
lowered,  and  the  sole  well  pared  out ;  while  in  horses  with 
fiat  feet  and  low  heels  horn  grows  sparingly  ;  and  the  toe  of 
such  feet,  being  always  weak,  will  admit  of  very  little  short- 
ening.   Such  heels  bein^  already  too  low,  should  scarcely  bo 


-     AND    HOW    TO    KEEP    IT    SOUND.  15 

touched  with  the  rasp  ;  and  the  sole  presents  such  a  small 
quantity  of  dead  horn,  that  the  knife  should  be  used  with 
great  discretion. 

In  the  first  case  the  thickness  of  the  sole  prevents  the  due 
descent  of  the  coffin  bone,  when  the  horse's  weight  is  thrown 
apon  the  foot ;  and  it  requires  in  consequence  to  be  pared 
iown  thinner  and  rendered  more  yielding  ;  while  in  the  lat- 
'er  case  it  is  already  so  thin  and  unresisting,  that  it  can  with 
difficulty  support  the  coffin  bone  in  its  proper  place,  and 
offers  at  best  but  a  feeble  resistance  to  its  downward  ten- 
dency. 

The  consideration  of  the  foregoing  circumstances  will  show 
the  impracticability  of  prescribing  general  directions,  capable 
of  meeting  the  exigences  of  all  feet ;  and  the  futility  of  at- 
tempting to  establish  one  particular  mode  of  paring  out  all 
feet— one  particular  mode  of  applying  the  shoes — or  one  par- 
ticular form  of  shoe.  They  must,  each  in  its  turn,  be  varied 
to  meet  the  degree  of  deviation  from  what  may  be  called  a 
perfect  foot.  Perfect  feet,  or  indeed  tolerably  well  formed 
feet,  with  a  fair  growth  of  horn,  should  have  the  toe  shorten- 
ed, the  heels  lowered,  and  the  sole  well  pared  out ;  that  is, 
all  the  dead  horn  removed,  and,  if  need  be,  some  of  the  living 
too,  until  it  will  yield,  in  some  small  degree,  to  hard  pressure 
from  the  thumb. 

The  corners  formed  by  the  junction  of  the  crust  and  bars 
should  be  well  pared  out,  particularly  on  the  inside  ;  for  this 
is  the  common  seat  of  corn,  and  any  accumulation  of  horn  in 
this  situation  must  increase  the  risk  of  bruising  the  sensible 
sole  between  the  inner  point  or  heel  of  the  coffin  bone  and  the 
horny  sole.  I  very  much  doubt  either  the  utility  or  wisdom 
of  leaving  the  bars  projecting  beyond  the  surface  of  the  sole ; 
it  cannot  possibly  increase  the  power  of  resisting  contraction, 
and  this  projecting  rim  is  left  exposed  to  the  danger  of  being 
broken  and  bruised  by  contact  with  stones  and  other  hard 
substances ;  and  it  is  further  attended  with  the  disadvantage 
of  making  the  cleaning  out  of  these  corners  a  work  of  con- 
siderable ingenuity  with  so  unwieldy  an  instrument  as  a  com- 
mon drawing-knife.  I  prefer  paring  them  down  to  a  level 
with  the  sole,  or  very  nearly  so ;  avoiding  however  every 
approach  to  what  is  called  "  opening  out  the  heels,"  a  most 
reprehensible  practice,  which  means  cutting  away  the  sides 
of  the  bars,  so  as  to  show  an  apparent  increase  of  width  be- 
tween the  heels,  which  may  for  the  time  deceive  the  eye  ;  but 
it  is  a  mere  illusion,  purchased  at  the  expense  of  impaired 


16  THE    horse's    foot, 

power  ot  resistance  in  the  bars,  and  ultimate  contraction  of 
the  feet.  It  is  self-evident,  that  the  removing  any  portion 
from  the  sides  of  the  bars  must  diminish  their  substance,  and 
render  them  weaker,  and  consequently  less  able  to  resist  con- 
traction. 

If  it  were  not  for  the  unaccountable  prejudice  in  favor 
of  carving  the  frog  into  shape  at  every  shoeing,  I  should  have 
had  very  little  to  say  about  it  in  this  place :  my  only  direc- 
tion, as  a  general  rule,  would  have  been,  to  leave  it  alone, 
and  never  allow  a  knife  to  approach  it:  but  this  far-spread 
prejudice  renders  it  necessary  for  me  to  explain  why  the 
knife  must  be  so  entirely  withheld  from  the  frog,  while  its 
liberal  application  to  the  other  parts  of  the  foot  is  shown  to 
be  so  beneficial  to  them.  First,  then,  the  frog  has  naturally 
less  power  of  producing  horn  than  any  other  part  of  the 
foot ;  and  the  effect  of  shoeing  seems  to  be,  still  further  to 
diminish  this  power  by  obstructing  the  expansion  of  the  hoof, 
and  thereby  exposing  the  membrane  which  secretes  the  horn 
to  undue  pressure  :  indeed  in  the  generality  of  feet  it  would 
appear  almost  to  check  the  growth  of  the  frog  altogether ; 
for  if  we  compare  the  size  of  the  frog  with  the  circumfer- 
ence of  the  foot  in  a  horse  long  accustomed  to  be  shod,  we 
shall  find  the  space  occupied  by  it  will  not  exceed  one-tenth 
or  one-twelfth  of  the  whole  circumference  ;  whereas,  in  the 
natural  and  unshod  foot  it  occupies  about  one-sixth.  Now 
this  dwindling  down  to  one-half  its  proper  size  is  the  direct 
effect  of  shoeing  and  paring  ;  but  I  believe  that  much  the 
larger  portion  of  the  mischief  is  attributable  to  the  unneces- 
sary evil  of  paring,  rather  than  the  necessary  one  of  shoeing. 
The  reason  assig-ned  for  further  mutilatins:  this  fast  diminish- 
ing  organ  at  every  shoeing,  is  a  most  unfounded  dread  that 
it  would  run  all  over  the  foot,  if  it  were  not  for  the  controlling 
influence  of  the  drawing-knife  :  and  so  general  is  this  belief, 
that  it  is  entertained  more  or  less  by  almost  every  smith, 
notwithstanding  the  daily,  nay  hourly,  evidence  that  is  pre- 
sented to  his  senses  of  the  gradual  but  certain  diminution 
of  the  frogs  of  nearly  all  the  horses  which  he  shoes.  I 
have  horses  in  my  possession  whose  frogs  have  not  been 
touched  by  a  knife  for  five  years,  and  yet  it  has  never  oc- 
curred to  any  one  that  they  are  overgrown ;  but  every  one 
is  attracted  by  the  evenness  of  surface  and  fine  expanded 
cleft  which  they  present.  Perhaps  about  one  in  a  thousand 
may  form  an  exception ;  where  a  large  loose-textured  frog 
may  require  a  little  paring  once  or  twice  in  a  year.     The 


AND    HOW    TO    KEEP    IT    SOUXD.  17 

layer  of  horn  that  covers  the  frog  is  thinnei  in  substance 
and  more  delicate  in  texture  than  that  of  any  other  part  of 
the  foot,  and,  when  once  destroyed,  is  very  imperfectly  and 
sparingly  reproduced.  The  first  stroke  of  the  knife  removes 
this  thin  liorny  covering  altogether,  and  lays  bare  an  under 
surface,  totally  unfitted,  from  its  moist,  soft  texture,  for  ex- 
posure either  to  the  hard  ground  or  the  action  of  the  air ; 
and  in  consequence  of  such  unnatural  exposure  it  soon 
becomes  dry  and  shrinks :  then  follow  cracks, — the  edges 
of  which  turning  outwards  form  rags  ;  these  rags  are  re- 
moved by  the  smith  at  the  next  shoeing,  whereby  another 
such  surface  is  exposed,  and  another  foundation  laid  for 
other  rags  ;  and  so  on,  until  at  last  the  protruding,  plump, 
elastic  cushion,  interposed  by  nature  between  the  navicular 
joint  and  the  ground,  and  so  essential  to  its  preservation  from 
injury,  is  converted  by  the  mischievous  interference  of  art 
into  the  dry,  shrunk,  unyielding  apology  for  a  frog,  to  be 
seen  in  the  foot  of  almost  every  horse  that  has  been  regu- 
larly shod  for  a  few  years.  The  frog  is  provided  within 
itself  with  tvv^o  very  efficient  modes  of  throwing  off  any 
superfluous  horn  it  may  be  troubled  with ;  and  it  is  very  un- 
wise in  man  to  interfere  with  them  :  the  first  and  most  com- 
mon  is  the  separation  from  its  surface  of  small  bran-like 
scales,  which  becoming  dry  fall  off  in  a  kind  of  whitish 
scurf,  not  unlike  the  dust  that  adheres  to  Turkey  figs.  The 
other,  which  is  upon  a  larger  scale,  and  of  rarer  occurrence, 
is  sometimes  called  "  casting  the  frog."  A  thick  layer  of 
frog  separates  itself  in  a  body,  and  shells  off — to  the  full  as 
deep  as  a  usual  paring  with  the  knife  :  but  it  is  worthy  of 
remark,  that  there  is  this  very  important  difference  between 
the  two  operations :  nature  never  removes  the  horny  cover- 
ing until  she  has  provided  another  horny  covering  beneath, 
so  that  although  a  large  portion  of  the  frog  may  have  been 
removed,  there  still  remains  a  perfect  frog  behind,  smaller  it 
is  true,  but  covered  with  horn  and  in  every  way  fitted  to 
sustain  exposure  ;  while  the  knife,  on  the  contrary,  removes 
the  horny  covering,  but  is  unable  to  substitute  any  other 
in  its  stead.  My  advice  therefore  is  to  leave  the  frog  to 
itself — nature  will  remove  the  superfluous  horn,  and  the 
rags  can  do  no  harm,  and,  if  unmolested,  will  soon  disappear 
altogether. 

In   describing  the   form  of  the    shoe,   and   explaining   its 

■details,  I  shall  not  hesitate  to  repeat  any  thing  which  I  may 

have  said  before^  if  it  should  appear  to  me  that  by  so  doing  1 

2* 


18  THE    horse's    foot, 

can  render  myself  more  intelligible.  The  first  recommenda. 
tion  I  have  to  offer  concerning  the  shoe  itself  has  reference, 
not  to  its  form,  but  to  its  weight,  and  is  suggested  by  the 
prevailing  idea  that  shoes  cannot  well  be  too  light.  A  very 
little  reflection  will  convince  us  that  this  notion  must  be 
founded  in  error,  involving  as  it  does  two  most  objectionable 
properties  in  a  shoe,  viz.,  liability  to  bend,  and  insufficient 
covering.  The  inconvenience  to  a  horse  of  an  ounce  or  so 
of  increased  weight  in  each  shoe  is  not  worth  a  moment's 
consideration,  compared  with  the  discomfort  to  him  of 
travelling  upon  a  hard  road  with  a  bent  shoe  on  his  foot, 
straining  the  nails,  and  making  unequal  and  painful  pressure. 

The  other  evil  arising  out  of  light  shoes,  is  a  deficiency 
of  width  in  the  web,*  which  robs  the  foot  of  much  valuable 
protection,  and  leaves  the  sole  and  frog  exposed  to  numberless 
injuries,  that  a  wider  web  would  effectually  prevent. 

For  my  own  horses  I  not  only  have  the  web  made  wider 
fnan  is  usually  met  with,  but  I  take  especial  care  that  the 
same  width  of  web  is  continued  throughout  the  whole  shoe, 
back  to  the  heels,  giving  increased  covering  and  protection  to 
the  sole  of  the  foot.  The  common  practice  is  to  get  it  narrow- 
er and  narrower,  until  it  dwindles  at  the  heels  into  about  half 
its  original  width  ;-\  and  the  only  reason  assigned  for  this  in- 
jurious practice  is,  "  liking  to  see  the  shoe  well  set  off  at  the 
heels."t 

I  know  that  I  have  a  very  prevalent  and  deep-rooted  preju 
dice  to  contend  with  in  this  manner ;  still  I  do  not  despair  of 
convincing  some,  at  least,  of  my  readers  that  it  is  both  unphilo- 
sophical  and  detrimental ;  it  imposes  upon  the  understanding 
by  deceiving  the  eye,  and  is  in  the  last  degree  hurtful  to  the 
horse's  foot.  When  a  shoe  is  thus  set  off  at  the  heels,  it  im- 
parts to  the  foot  an  appearance  of  greater  width  than  it  really 
possesses  ;  but  if  the  shoe  happened  to  be  made  of  glass,  oi 
some  other  transparent  substance,  the  deception  would  be  ai 
once  detected ;  for  then  the  outer  edge  of  the  foot  would  be 
seen  to  rest  on  the  inner  edge  only  of  the  shoe,§  and  the  whole 
of  the  remaining  width  of  the  web  would  be  seen  projecting 
beyond  the  hoof,  forming  a  convenient  clip  for  another  horse 
to  tread  upon,  but  utterly  useless  as  affording  support  to  any 
part  of  the  foot  itself.  A  common  observer,  on  taking  up  a 
foot  with  a  shoe  so  fitted,  looks  only  to  the  space  between  the 

*  Page  52,  fig.  8.  t  Page  60,  fig.  15. 

I  Page  53,  fig.  9.  §  Page  54,  fig.  10. 


AND    HOW    TO    KEEP    IT    SOUND  19 

heels  of  tlie  shoe  j  and  if  he  find  that  to  be  considerable,  he 
does  not  stop  to  inquire  what  quantity  of  the  foot  is  exposed 
by  the  opening,  but  seeing  what  he  calls  "  a  good  open 
foot,"  is  satisfied,  forgetting  altogether  that  his  inspection 
never  extended  to  the  foot  at  all,  but  was  confined  exclusive- 
ly  to  the  shoe. 

Having  shown  in  what  manner  this  practice  is  unphiloso- 
phical,  I  will  turn  to  the  consideration  of  it  as  pernicious,  it 
beincr  one  of  the  commonest  causes  of  a  horse  falling  sudden- 
ly  lame,  or  dropping  as  if  he  had  been  shot, — two  phrases 
unluckily  in  much  too  common  use  to  require  explanation 
here. 

No  portion  of  the  foot  needs  protection  from  our  hard  stony 
roads,  like  those  which  are  comprised  in  the  space  betv/een 
the  heels  ;  for  just  in  front  of  the  cleft  of  the  frog,  immediate- 
ly over  the  centre  of  that  space,  lies  the  navicular  joint,* 
which,  it  must  be  remembered,  is  compelled  to  sustain  nearly 
the  whole  weight  of  the  horse,  alternately  with  that  of  the 
other  foot  at  every  movement  he  makes ;  and  is  moreover 
the  seat  of  nine-tenths  of  the  chronic  lameness  to  which  he  is 
liable.  We  must  also  remember,  that  this  joint  is  formed  by 
the  navicular  bone  and  the  tendon  which  passes  under  it ; 
and  we  can  readily  imagine  that  its  delicate  membranes,  be- 
ing jammed  against  their  own  bone  by  the  weight  of  the  horse 
and  his  rider  on  the  one  hand,  and  a  stone  resting  upon  a 
hard  road  on  the  other  hand,  must  receive  a  most  painful  and 
distressing  squeeze ;  but  if,  as  is  too  oflen  the  case,  these 
membranes  chance  to  be  in  a  state  of  inflammation,  our 
wonder  may  well  cease  that  the  poor  animal  should  drop  as 
if  he  had  been  shot ;  for  more  exquisite  torture  it  is  not  possi- 
ble to  inflict  upon  him. 

Again :  if  we  take  the  weight  of  the  horse  at  half  a  ton, 
and  that  of  his  rider  at  eleven  stone,  and  propel  the  combined 
weights  with  the  whole  muscular  power  of  the  animal  against 
a  firmly  fixed  stone,  it  would  call  for  no  great  stretch  of 
imagination  to  conceive  that  the  collision  might  sometimes 
fracture  so  small  a  bone  as  the  navicular  bone,  and  produce 
mstant  and  incurable  lameness.  These  things  do  happen  ; 
and  it  is  to  obviate  them,  and  the  intermediate  train  of  smaller 
evils,  that  I  always  employ  a  tolerably  wide-webbed  shoe, 
tnd  bring  in  the  heels  of  it  almost  close  to  the  frog,  so  as  to 
"educe  the  opening  between  the  heels  as  much  as  I  con- 


•  Page  47,  fig.  1. 


U 


// 


20  THE    horse's    foot, 

veniently  cai.:  and,  if  in  fitting  the  shoe,  I  observe  a  cornef 
pressing  upon,  or  in  any  way  interfering  with  the  frog,  I 
cause  it  to  be  cut  off,  rather  than  have  the  shoe  opened  out  to 
let  in  the  frog ;  for  in  opening  out  the  shoe,  a  portion  equal 
to  the  objectionable  corner  must  be  thrust  out  beyond  the 
hoof,  which  is  very  undesirable,  as  presenting  a  ready  hold 
for  stiff  ground  to  pull  the  shoe  off  by.  This  plan  of  bringing 
in  the  heels,  while  it  covers  and  protects  the  angles  whence 
the  bars  are  reflected,*  at  the  same  time  draws  the  sides  of 
the  shoe  nearer  together,  and  opposes  to  the  stony  road  a 
surface  of  iron  instead  of  the  unprotected  foot,  warding  off 
thereby  many  a  blow,  that  would  otherwise  prove  highly  in- 
jurious. 

There  is  a  notion  very  generally  entertained,  that  the  foot 
receives  its  form  from  the  shoe, — an  inference,  I  take  it,  drawn 
from  the  feet  of  Chinese  ladies,  but  totally  unsupported  by 
any  thing  which  happens  fo  the  foot  of  the  horse  :  still  it 
does  exist,  and  I  have  no  doubt  tends  in  a  great  degree  to 
keep  up  the  prejudice  in  favor  of  open-heeled  shoes.  The 
truth  really  is,  that  the  shape  of  the  shoe  cannot  by  possibili, 
ty  influence  the  shape  of  the  foot ;  for  the  foot,  being  elastic, 
expands  to  the  weight  of  the  horse  in  precisely  the  same  de- 
gree, whether  it  be  resting  upon  the  most  open  or  the  most 
contracted  shoe  :  it  is  the  situation  of  the  nails,  and  not  the 
shape  of  the  shoe,  that  determines  the  form  of  the  foot ;  and 
whether  the  shoe  be  wide  or  narrow,  if  the  heels  and  quarters 
of  both  sides  be  nailed  to  it,  the  foot  will  inevitably  become 
smaller  and  smaller,  and  the  heels  more  and  more  contracted. 
The  most  open  shoe  will  avail  no  more  than  the  narrowest. 
If  the  nails,  on  the  contrary,  be  placed  in  the  outside  quarter 
and  toe,  leaving  the  heels  and  quarters  of  the  inside,  which 
are  the  most  expansive  portions,  free,"]"  no  shape  that  we  can 
give  to  the  shoe  can  of  itself  change  the  form  of  the  foot ;  for, 
supposing  the  shoe  to  be  too  contracted,  the  foot  will  expand 
out  over  it,  provided  it  be  not  restrained  by  the  too  backward 
placing  of  the  nails.  I  would  not  however  be  understood  to 
mean,  that  the  shape  of  the  shoe  is  therefore  of  no  importance  ; 
for  I  trust  I  have  already  proved  the  contrary,  while  con- 
sidering the  mischievous  tendency  of  that  form  whi  ch  is 
*Mvell  set  off  at  the  heels" — inviting,  as  it  were  with  open 
arms,  every  hard  substance  in  the  road  "to  come  and  do  it3 
worst;"  as  though  the  numerous  ills  the  foot  is  unavoidably 

■  • '       ■    ■  —     -      I.     ..    —  I      ■       —     .-I  .  ■     —  .      .1     ■-  ,  , ■  -  ...  I    -,  ■       .1  ■■  —  ■■  I     ■■  !■         m 

•  Page  56,  ag.  12.  t  Page  55,  fig.  11. 


AND   HOW    TO    KEEP    IT    SOUND.  21 

exposed  to,  and  which  no  ingenuity  can  avert,  were  not 
sufficiently  distressing  to  the  horse,  or  vexatious  in  their  con- 
sequences to  its  owner.  Seeing  then  that  the  shape  of  the 
foot  is  in  no  way  changed  by  the  form  of  the  shoe,  both 
wisdom  and  interest  would  prompt  us  to  adopt  that  form 
which  possesses  the  greatest  number  of  advantages  with  the 
fewest  disadvantages  ;  and  such  a  form  it  shall  now  be  my 
endeavor  to  describe  in  detail.  The  shoe  must,  as  we  have 
seen,  possess  substance  enough  to  prevent  its  bending,  and 
width  of  web  enough  to  ensure  protection  to  the  foot ; — the 
thickness,  like  the  width,  of  web,  should  continue  precisely 
the  same  from  toe  to  heel,*  and  not,  as  is  generally  the  case, 
increase  as  it  proceeds  backwards,  until  at  the  heels  it  be- 
comes fully  doubled. f  This  is  a  great  evil  for  many  reasons, 
and  among  others,  that  it  throv/s  the  horse  forwards  upon  the 
toe,  and  causes  him  to  strike  it  against  every  projection  which 
comes  in  its  vvay.  Now,  as  horses  are  quite  sufficiently 
prone  to  do  this  without  the  assistance  of  high-heeled  shoes, 
it  should  be  our  business  to  obviate  it  as  much  as  possible  ; 
and  I  find  this  is  best  accomplished  by  keeping  the  heels  of 
an  even  thickness  with  the  rest  of  the  shoe,  and  turning  up 
the  toe  out  of  the  line  of  wear,:!:  thereby  imparting  to  the  toe 
of  a  new  shoe  v/hen  placed  upon  a  flat  surface,  the  same  ele- 
vation from  the  ground  line  as  that  of  an  old  one. 

In  doing  this  we  only  carry  out  in  the  shoe  what  nature 
has  already  done  in  the  foot ;  she  has  arched  the  toe  of  the 
coffin  bone,§  to  diminish  the  effect  of  a  jar  at  the  toe ;  and 
we  do  the  same  to  the  shoe,  to  lessen  the  cause  of  the  jar. 
The  common  practice  is  just  the  reverse  of  this  ;  it  welds  a 
lump  of  steel  into  the  toe,  which  not  only  increases  its  thick- 
ness, and  the  number  of  obstacles  that  it  necessarily  encoun- 
ters, but,  being  of  a  harder  texture,  is  longer  wearing  down, 
and  consequently  exposes  the  foot  to  the  greatest  amount  of 
concussion.  Supposing  a  horse  to  wear  his  shoes  so  hard, 
that  they  v/ill  not  last  a  month, — much  beyond  which,  as 
the  foot  will  outgrow  them,  they  had  better  not  last, — then 
steel  the  toe  ;  but  still  let  it  be  turned  up  as  much  out  of  the 
line  of  wear  as  possible.  A  small  clip  at  the  point  of  the 
toejl  is  very  desirable  as  preventing  displacement  of  the  shoe 
backwards :  it  need  not  be  driven  up  hard ;  it  is  merely  re- 
quired as  a  check  or  stay.     The  shoe  should  be  sufficiently 

*  Page  59,  fig.  14.         t  Page  58,  fig.  13.  t  Page  48,  fig.  2. 

4  Pago  49,  fig.  4.  II  Page  51,  fig.  7. 


22  THE  horse's  foot, 

long,  fully  to  support  the  angles  at  the  heels,*  and  not,  as  is 
too  often  the  case,  so  short,  that  a  little  wear  imbeds  the 
edge  of  it  in  the  horn  at  these  parts. f  The  foot  surface  of 
the  shoe  should  always  have  a  good  flat  even  space  left  all 
around  for  the  crust  to  bear  upon  ;{  for  it  must  be  remem- 
bered, that  the  crust  sustains  the  whole  weight  of  the  horse, 
and  needs  to  have  a  perfectly  even  bearing  everywhere 
around  the  shoe.  In  this  space  the  nail-holes  should  be 
punched, §  and  not,  as  is  too  often  the  case,  partly  in  it,  and 
partly  in  the  seating.  ||  In  what  is  technically  callea  "  back- 
holing  the  shoe,"  which  means  completing  the  opening  of  the 
nail-holes  on  the  foot  surface,  great  care  should  be  taken  to 
give  them  an  outward  direction,  so  as  to  allow  the  points  of 
the  nails  to  be  brought  out  low  dov/n  in  the  crust.  The  re- 
mainder of  the  foot  surface  should  be  carefully  seated  out, 
particularly  around  the  elevated  toe, IT  where  it  might  other- 
wise press  inconveniently  upon  the  sole ;  and  I  would  have 
the  seating  carried  on  fairly  to  the  point  where  the  crust 
and  the  bars  meet,  in  order  that  there  may  be  no  pressure 
in  the  seat  of  corns  :  the  chance  of  pressure  in  this  situa- 
tion will  be  further  diminished  by  bevelling  off  the  inner 
edge  of  the  heels  with  a  rasp. 

The  ground  surface  should  be  perfectly  flat,  with  a  fuller- 
ing or  groove  running  round  the  outer  edge,  just  under 
the  plain  surface,  whereon  the  crust  bears.**  The  princi- 
pal use  of  the  fuller  is  to  receive  the  heads  of  the  nails 
that  secure  the  shoe,  and  prevent  their  bending  or  breaking 
off: — it  is  further  useful  in  increasing  the  hold  of  the  shoe 
upon  the  ground,  and  with  this  view  I  always  have  it 
carried  back  to  the  heels. 

The  danger  apprehended  from  the  shoe  being  applied  to 
the  foot  so  hot  as  to  burn  the  crust,  and  cause  it  to  smoke, 
is  utterly  groundless.  I  would  not  have  it  made  to  burn 
Itself  into  its  place  upon  the  foot,  without  the  assistance  of 
rasp  or  drawing-knife,  but  I  would  have  it  tried  to  the 
foot  sufficiently  hot  to  scorch  every  part  that  bears  unevenly 
upon  it ;  because  the  advantage  of  detecting  such  pro- 
jecting portions  is  very  great,  and  this  mode  of  accomplish- 
ing it  is  positively  harmless.  Indeed  it  is  the  only  one  by 
which  the  even  bearing  necessary  to  a  perfect  fitting  of  the 
shoe  can  be  insured. 

*  Page  61,  fig.  16.  t  Page  60,  fig.  15.  t  Page  51,  fig.  7. 
§  Page  61,  fig.  16.  ||  Page  60,  fig.  15.  IT  Page  51,  fig.  7. 
««  Page  52,  fig.  8. 


AND   HOW    TO   Wk.£P    IT   SOUND.  23 

No  shoe  should  ever  be  nailed  to  the  foot  until  it  has  been 
ascertained  that  the  pressure  of  the  hands  is  sufficient  to 
keep  it  steadily  in  its  place,  and  preclude  any  appearance 
of  daylight  between  it  and  the  foot ;  for,  if  the  shoe  does 
not  accurately  correspond  to  the  surface  of  the  foot,  but  is 
disposed  to  shift  about  upon  it,  the  nails  will  be  exposed 
to  a  constant  strain  in  order  to  keep  it  in  its  place;  whereas 
they  should  merely  have  to  hold  it  to  the  foot,  and  not,  as 
it  were,  to  keep  it  there  by  force. 

The  shoes  should  not  be  permitted  to  remain  on  the 
horse's  feet  more  than  two  or  three  weeks  without  removal ; 
for  in  that  time  the  heads  of  the  nails  will  have  become 
worn,  and,  from  fitting  the  holes  less  perfectly  than  before, 
will  admit  of  a  trifling  motion  of  the  shoe  upon  the  nails  ; 
whereby  the  holes  in  the  hoof  will  be  enlarged,  and  the 
security  of  the  shoe  endangered.  Another  reason  for  re- 
moving the  shoes,  is  the  opportunity  which  it  affords  of 
paring  away  those  portions  of  horn  which  in  a  state  of  na- 
ture would  have  been  worn  down  by  contact  with  the  ground. 

The  next  circumstance  to  be  considered  is  one  of  vital 
importance  to  our  subject,  as  upon  it  depends  the  amount  of 
disturbance  that  the  natural  functions  of  the  foot  are  destined 
to  sustain  from  the  shoe ;  viz.,  the  number  and  situation  of 
the  nails  which  are  to  secure  it  to  the  foot.  If  they  be 
numerous,  and  placed  back  in  the  quarters  and  heels,  no 
form  of  shoe,  be  it  ever  so  perfect,  can  save  the  foot  from 
contraction  and  navicular  disease.  If  on  the  contrary  they 
be  few,  and  placed  in  the  outside  quarter  and  toe,  leaving 
the  inside  quarter  and  heels  quite  free  to  expand,  no  form 
of  shoe  is  so  bad  that  it  can,  from  defective  form  alone,  pro- 
duce contraction  of  the  foot. 

Three  years  ago  I  commenced  a  series  of  experiments 
upon  shoeing,  with  a  view,  among  other  things,  of  ascertain- 
ing how  few  nails  are  absolutely  necessary,  under  ordinary 
circumstances,  for  retaining  a  shoe  securely  in  its  place. 
The  subjects  of  my  experiments  were  six  horses  of  my  own, 
and  three  belonging  to  friends  ;  the  nine  among  them  repre- 
senting very  fairly  the  different  classes  of  pleasure  horses ; 
not  indeed  including  hunters  or  race-horses,  each  of  which 
require  a  separate  and  totally  different  treatment,  but  car- 
riage horses,  ladies'  horses,  and  roadsters ;  and  they  also  in- 
cluded the  common  variations  in  form  and  texture  of  the 
generality  of  horses'  feet. 

When  my  attention  was  first  directed  to  the  subject  of 


24  THE    HORSE'S    FOOT, 

nailing,  I  was  employing  seven  nails  in  each  fore,  and  eight 
in  each  hind  shoe.  I  then  withdrew  one  nail  from  each 
shoe,  thus  reducing  the  number  to  six  in  .he  fore,  and  seven 
in  the  hind  shoes  ;  and  finding  at  the  end  of  a  year  that  the 
shoes  of  all  the  horses  had  been  as  firmly  retained  as  former, 
ly,  I  withdrew  another  nail  from  each  shoe,  leaving  only 
five  in  the  fore  shoes  and  six  in  the  hind.  I  found,  however, 
that  six  nails  would  not  retain  the  hind  shoe  of  a  carriage 
horse,  without  allowing  it  sometimes  to  shift ;  so  I  returned 
to  seven  in  the  hind  shoes,  and  have  continued  to  employ  that 
number  ever  since  :  but  five  have  retained  all  the  fore  shoes 
as  firmly  during  the  whole  of  the  last  year  and  a  half,  as 
six  had  previously  done. 

I  have  invariably  directed  and  superintended  the  whole 
operation  of  shoeing  during  these  experiments ;  and  have 
always  been  very  careful  to  mark  that  the  nails  were  not 
driven  high  up  in  the  crust,  but  brought  out  as  soon  as  possi- 
ble ;  and  that  they  were  very  lightly  driven  up  before  the 
clinches  were  turned  down,  and  not,  as  is  generally  the 
case,  forced  up  with  all  the  power  that  the  smith  can  hring 
to  bear  upon  them  with  his  hammer.  I  mention  these  cir- 
cumstances to  show  that  my  object  really  was  to  ascertain 
how  little  would  retain  a  shoe,  and  to  what  extent  the  foot 
might  be  relieved  from  the  evil  of  unnecessaiy  restraint;  a 
matter  sometimes  of  great  moment,  and  at  all  times  desi- 
rable. 

The  clinches  should  not  be  rasped  away  too  fine,  but 
turned  dov/n  broad  and  firm.  The  practice  of  rasping  the 
whole  surface  of  the  hoof  after  the  clinches  have  been  turned 
down,  should  never  be  permitted ;  it  destroys  the  covering 
provided  by  nature  as  a  protection  against  the  too  rapid 
evaporation  of  the  moisture  of  the  hoof,  and  causes  the  horn 
to  become  dry  and  brittle. 

Two  of  the  horses  alluded  to  above,  worked  for  some  time 
with  only  four  nails  in  their  fore  shoes. 

I  have  detailed  these  experiments  with  a  view  to  expose 
the  groundless  nature  of  the  fear  that  expects  to  cast  a  shoe 
at  every  step,  unless  it  be  held  to  the  foot  by  eight  or  nine 
nails,  driven  high  into  the  crust.  If  the  presence  of  a  nail 
in  the  crust  were  a  matter  of  no  moment,  and  two  or  three 
more  than  are  necessary  were  merely  useless,  there  would  be 
no  great  reason  to  interfere  with  this  practice  of  making 
"  assurance  doubly  sure  ;"  but  it  is  far  otherwise, — the  nails 
separate  the  fibres  of  the  horn,  and  they  never  by  any  chance 


AND    HOW    TO    KEEP    IT    SOUND.  5SJ 

become  united  again,  but  continue  asunder  and  unclosed, 
until  by  degrees  they  grow  down  with  the  rest  of  the  hoof, 
and  are  ultimately,  after  repeated  shoeings,  removed  by  the 
knife. 

If  the  clinches  should  happen  to  rise,  they  must  be  re- 
placed without  delay ;  as  such  rising  imparts  to  the  nails  a 
freedom  of  motion  which  is  sure  to  enlarge  the  size  of  the 
holes, — and  this  mischief  is  often  increased  by  the  violent 
wrenching  which  the  shoe  undergoes  from  side  to  side  in  the 
process  of  removal  by  the  smith. 

Now  as  these  holes  cannot  possibly  grow  down,  and  be  re- 
moved under  three  shoeings,  it  will  be  found  that  even  with 
seven  nails,  the  crust  must  always  have  twenty-one  of  these 
separations  existing  in  it  at  the  same  time ;  and  as  they  are 
often  from  a  variety  of  causes  extended  into  each  other,  they 
necessarily  keep  it  in  a  brittle  unhealthy  state,  and  materially 
interfere  with  the  security  of  the   future    nail-hold-.      Un- 
luckily the  common  practice  under  such  circumstances  is  to 
increase  the  number  of  nails,  with  the  view  of  ensuring  the 
security  of  the  shoe,  while  on  the  contrary  it  increases  the 
evil.     My  object  is  to  show  that  these  shaky  places,  as  they 
are  called,  may  be  relieved  by  the  omission  of  one  or  two 
of  the  nails,  without  endangering  the  security  of  the  shoe. 
Suppose  the  number  employed  to  be  seven, — to  gain  such  an 
end  they  may  be  safely  reduced  to  five,  which  is  the  largest 
number  I  have  employed  for  more  than  two  years ;  and  until 
I  discover  some  good  reason  for  increasing  it,  it  is  the  largest 
I  intend  to  employ.     But  I  am  far  from  advising  the  general 
adoption  of  this  number ;   for  if  from  imperfect  fitting  of  the 
shoe,  misplacement  of  the  nails,  neglect  of  removing  in  proper 
time,  or  from  any  other  cause,  the  horse  should  chance  to 
cast  a  shoe,  the  whole  blame  would  be  attributed  to  the  five 
nails,   and   the   poor  beast  in  all  probability  be   doomed  to 
eight  or  nine  for  the  remainder  of  his  life.     I  do,  however 
very  strongly  advise  the  adoption  of  six,  knowing  them  to  be 
fully  sufficient  for  retaining  the  shoes  of  all  pleasure  horsea 
under  all  circumstances,  except  perhaps  hunters.     Since  the 
foregoing  was   published.   Colonel   Luttrell,    master  of  the 
Somersetshire    fox-hounds,  has  informed  me  that  the  horse 
which  he  rode  most  frequently  last  season  was    shod  with 
six  nails  only, — not  one  of  which,  in  consequence  of  his  cut- 
ting a  good  deal,  was  placed  in  the  inner  quarter, — and  thai 
he  experienced  no  inconvenience  whatever  from  the  plan. 
If  I  had  entertained  the  smallest  doubt  about  their  efficiency, 

3 


26  THE   horse's   FOOT, 

it  would  have  been  entirely  removed  on  the  arrival  of  the 
Thirteenth  Light  Dragoons  last  year  in  Exeter ;  for  among 
till?  horses  of  that  regiment,  I  found,  through  the  kindness  of 
Lieut.  Col.  Brunton,  who  allowed  me  to  inspect  the  shoeing, 
the  strongest  possible  confirmation  of  the  truth  of  my  posi- 
tion. Here  were  horses  with  every  variety  of  feet  shod  with 
six  nails  only,  and  these  all  placed  in  the  outside  limb  and 
toe  of  the  shoe,  all  the  remainder  of  the  shoe  remaining  free 
and  unattached  to  the  foot.  Mr.  Legrew,  the  very  intelligent 
veterinary  surgeon  of  the  regiment,  informed  me  that  he  had 
not  employed  more  than  six  nails  for  nearly  two  years,  and 
that  the  loss  of  a  shoe  was  a  very  rare  occurrence  with  them, 
even  on  a  field-day,  than  which  there  is  scarcely  any  work 
more  trying  to  the  security  of  horses'  shoes.  Any  mode  of 
fastening  that  has  proved  itself  eiqual  to  retaining  the  shoes 
through  a  long  field-day,  in  stiff  ground,  may  very  safely  be 
recommended  as  fully  sufficient  for  all  ordinary  purposes. 

The  question  of  the  efficiency  of  six  nails  for  road  work 
is  settled,  I  should  think,  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  most  skep- 
tical, by  the  fact  of  the  Thirteenth  having  done  the  Queen's 
escort  duty  during  their  year  at  Hounslow  without  the  loss 
of  a  single  shoe.  Any  one  acquainted  with  the  rapid  pace 
at  which  her  Majesty  invariably  travels  on  the  road,  will 
readily  admit  the  sufficiency  of  the  test. 

During  the  last  six  months  I  have  arranged  my  five  nails 
upon  this  "  system  of  one-sided  nailing,"  recommended  and 
first  practised  by  Mr.  James  Turner;  and  the  result  has 
been  most  satisfactory, — the  shoes  have  not  only  been  firmly, 
but  easily  held  to  the  feet,  as  is  evidenced  by  the  clinches 
not  having  risen  in  one  single  instance, — a  clear  proof  that 
the  struggle  between  the  expansion  of  the  foot  and  the  re» 
sistance  of  the  shoe  is  entirely  overcome  by  this  mode  ot 
fastening.  A  further  experience  of  nine  months  since  th« 
publication  of  the  first  edition,  has  fully  confirmed  the  above 
conclusions  in  every  particular.  This  very  desirable  end 
appears  to  be  attained  in  the  following  manner :  the  outer 
side  of  the  foot,  being  the  only  part  nailed  to  the  shoe,  carries 
the  whole  shoe  with  it  at  every  expansion ;  while  the  inner 
side,  being  unattached,  expands  independently  of  it,  whereby 
all  strain  upon  the  nails  is  avoided,  and  the  foot  is  left,  with 
respect  to  its  power  of  expansion,  as  nearly  as  possible  in  a 
state  of  nature. 

An  unexpected  benefit  has  arisen  to  one  of  my  horses  frora 
this  plan,  in  the  total  disappearance  of  two  very  troublesom« 


AND   HOW  TO    KEEP   IT   SOUND.  27 

corns :  they  had  existed  in  his  feet  for  ten  years,  during 
seven  of  which  I  tried  every  plan  that  I  had  ever  heard  of 
as  likely  to  effect  a  cure, — both  in  form  of  shoe  and  local 
application, — without,  however,  any  decided  advantage  ;  but 
the  adoption  of  this  plan  of  fastening  the  shoe  to  the  foot,  by 
removing  all  restraint  and  pressure  from  the  part,  has  acci- 
dentally achieved  that  which  I  had  so  long  sought  in  vain. 

Since  writing  the  above,  I  learned  that  a  commercial  trav- 
eller, who  was  detained  in  Exeter  on  account  of  an  accident, 
had  for  some  time  past  employed  only  five  nails,  placed  in 
the  outer  limb  and  toe  of  his  horse's  fore  shoes.  Upon  hear- 
ing which,  I  made  a  point  of  seeing  him  ;  and  he  informed  me, 
that  he  always  performed  his  journeys  on  horseback ;  that 
they  averaged  full  five  thousand  miles  a  year,  and  that  his 
comfort  necessarily  depended  very  much  upon  the  freedom  of 
action  and  safe  going  of  his  horse ;  that  about  fourteen  weeks 
ago  he  found  him  stepping  short,  and  going  tenderly,  and  con- 
sulted a  veterinary  surgeon  about  it,  who  advised  his  being 
shod  with  five  nails  only  upon  the  one-sided  plan  of  nailmg, 
asserting,  at  the  same  time,  that  he  had  recommended  and 
employed  that  plan  very  extensively  with  most  beneficial 
results.  It  was  accordingly  tried,  and  he  very  soon  had  the 
gratification  of  feeling  his  horse  move  under  him  with  a  firm 
and  confident  step,  most  unlike  that  to  which  he  had  lately 
been  accustomed.  He  told  me,  that  further  experience  had 
only  confirmed  his  first  impression ;  and  that  he  should  con- 
tinue to  shoe  upon  the  same  system,  with  the  same  number  of 
nails  ;  that  the  first  pair  of  shoes  set  at  rest  all  his  doubts  and 
fears  about  the  insecurity  of  the  plan,  for  he  had  occasion  to 
ride  his  horse,  in  the  new  shoes,  thirty  miles  a  day  for  the 
first  six  days  in  succession  ;  and  that  they  were  as  fiimly 
attached  to  the  feet  at  the  end  of  one  hundred  and  eighty 
miles,  as  they  were  at  the  commencement  of  the  journey  ; 
and  that  they  continued  firm,  until  the  horse  was  reshod, 
which  did  not  happen  for  five  weeks.  He  also  told  me,  that 
he  has  found  five  nails  retain  a  shoe,  with  leather  between  it 
and  the  foot,  for  an  equally  long  period.  I  have,  likewise, 
myself  tested  their  capability  of  holding  a  shoe  with  leather 
under  it,  having  shod  a  horse  in  that  manner  for  the  last  two 
months  ;  and  although  I  have  not  permitted  the  shoe  to  re- 
main on  for  five  weeks  without  removal,  I  have  satisfied  my- 
self that  they  are  fully  equal  to  retaining  the  shoe  as  long  £is 
IX  ought  to  remain  on.  i 

The  horse  in  question  is  as  unfavorable  a  subject  for  the 


28  THE  borse's  foot, 

experiment  as  cauld  have  been  selected,  being  twenty  jesna 
old,  with  large,  flat,  brittle  feet,  and  high  action.  He  is^ 
moreover,  of  a  nervous  temperament,  and  occasionally  knocks 
his  feet  about  very  much  :  I  have,  nevertheless,  continued  to 
shoe  him  in  leatlier  during  the  nine  niontbs  which  have 
elapsed  since  the  publication  of  the  foregoing,  and  the  result 
has  shown  the  plan  to  have  been  eminently  successful :  the 
character  of  the  horn  has  changed  from  brittle  and  shaky  tc 
firm  and  tough,  and  affords  secure  nail-hold  in  every  part» 
His  shoes,  which  were  removed  three  weeks  ago,  are  now  en- 
tirely worn  out,  and  I  thought  it  might  prove  interesting  ta 
those  who,  like  myself,  wish  to  know  how  little  will  retain  a 
shoe,  when  it  has  been  once  accurately  fitted  to  the  foot,  if  I 
recorded  the  particialars  o>f  the  examination  which  I  made  of 
them  this  morning.  1  found  them  securely  held  to  the  feet^ 
and  the  clinches  unmoved :— not  one  of  the  five  nails,  which 
constituted  the  only  fastening  of  either  of  the  fore  shoes,  had 
penetrated  quite  an  inch  up  the  crust,  befare  it  was  brought 
out  and  clinched  down  ;  and  the  last  on  the  inside,  which 
was  five  inches  and  three-quarters  from  the  heel,  barely  ex- 
tended three-quarters  of  an  inch  up  the  crest.  Lighter  fast- 
ening than  this  cannot  be  conceived,  and,  I  take  it,  could  only 
succeed,  where  the  horn  has  become  solid,  and  the  shoe  has 
been  fitted  with  great  care.  The  sip.allest  uneven  bearing  of 
the  crust  upon  the  shoe,  or  the  least  .projection  of  the  shoe 
beyond  the  hoof,  at  the  quarters  or  sides  of  the  heels,  would 
to  a  certainty  endanger  its  security. 

I  may  here  remark,  that  the  habit  of  encumbering  the  sols 
and  frog  with  a  thick  layer  of  tow  between  them  and  the 
leather,  is  very  objectionable  r  it  causes  unnecessary  heat 
and  pressure,  and  should  for  these  reasons  be  avoided.  The 
principal  object  of  tow  is  to  block  up  the  openings,  through 
which  gravel  and  dirt  would  otherwise  insinuate  themselves 
between  the  leather  and  the  foot ;  its  presence  should  there- 
fore be  confined  to  the  clefl  of  the  frog, — ^the  commissures, — - 
and  the  angles  between  the  heels  and  the  bars.  These  parts 
should  be  filled  to  a  level  with  the  body  of  the  frog,  so  as  to 
enable  them  to  share  the  pressure  with  it ;  but  none  should  be 
permitted  to  rest  upon  the  frog  itself.  The  Jong  straggling 
ends  should  be  collected  together,  and  spread  over  the  sole — 
the  ends  of  one  side  being  made  to  overlap  those  of  the  other. 
By  this  plan  they  will  become  fixed  in  the  tar  and  grease, 
with  which  the  foot  ought  previously  to  have  been  liberally 


AND    HOW   TO    KEEP    IT   SOUND.  29 

Pressed,  and  will  materially  assist  in  overcoming  thfe  .endency 
tliat  the  tow  has  to  work  itself  out. 

Much  of  the  inconvenience  supposed  to  arise  from  shoeing 
with  leather,  is  caused  by  the  injudicious  placement  of  the 
tow.  I  believe  that  many  horses  derive  great  comfort  from 
liaving  leather  inserted  between  the  foot  and  the  shoe ;  par- 
ticularly  when  the  surface  of  the  roads  is  broken  up,  and 
strewed  with  loose  stones.  Its  use  is  sometimes  objected  to 
on  the  ground  that  it  rots  the  frog ;  but  this  is  altogether  a 
mistake  :  what  appears  to  be  decayed  frog,  is  nothing  more 
than  aii  accumulation  of  the  natural  exfoliation  of  horn, 
which  the  presence  of  the  leather  has  not  allowed  to  escape. 

In  the  first  edition  I  omitted  to  say  any  thing  about  the 
treatment  of  the  hind  foot,  because  I  considered  it  of  less 
importance  than  that  of  the  fore  foot ;  but  as  I  was  repeatedly 
assured  that  a  few  general  remarks  upon  it  would  not  prove 
altogether  mnacceptabie,  I  availed  myself  of  the  first  oppor- 
tunity that  offered  of  appending  them. 

The  hind  foot  certainly  does  not  demand  the  same  meas- 
ure of  attention  as  the  fore  foot,  inasmuch  as  its  position  in 
the  horse  and  the  nature  of  its  office  render  it  less  liable  to 
injury,  and  consequently,  less  frequently  lame.  It  is,  how- 
ever, by  no  means  entirely  exempt,  nor  does  it  ahvays  escape 
disease  of  its  navicular  joint;  for  I  have  myself  found  dis- 
ease in  a  navicular  bone  taken  from  a  hind  foot.  This 
being  the  case,  then,  we  should  endeavor  to  guard  against  it 
by  interfering  as  little  as  possible  with  its  expansive  power ; 
and  that  will  be  best  done  by  keeping  the  nails  on  the  inside 
as  far  removed  from  the  heel  as  we  conveniently  can,  to 
which  end  I  recommend  the  employment  of  seven  nails  only, 
—four  to  be  placed  in  the  outer  and  three  in  the  inner  side 
of  the  shoe.  The  holes  in  the  inner  side  are  to  be  punched 
closer  together,  and  kept  more  towards  the  toe  than  those  on 
the  outsMe,  which  need  to  be  more  spread  out,  as  affording 
greater  security  of  hold  to  the  foot.  The  shoe  should  be 
carefully  fitted  to  the  hoof  all  round,  particularly  at  the  heels, 
which  are  too  commonly  left  without  any  support  whatever  ; 
and  the  mischievous  custom  of  turning  down  the  outer  heel 
only  must  be  avoided,  because  it  throws  the  weight  entirely 
wpon  the  inner  quarter,  which  is  the  part  the  least  able  to  bear 
it,  and  causes  much  uncomfortable  strain  to  the  fetlock  joint 
above.  Calkins,  even  though  they  may  be  turned  down  of 
perfectly  even  lengths  or.  each  side,  which,  however,  is  very 
rarely  done,  are  objectionable  appendages,  and  had  better  be 

3* 


30  THE   EOESS'S  FOOTy 

dispensed  with,  excepting,  perhaps,  for  very  heavy  draft, 
where  their  ends,  by  entering  the  ground,  may  prevent  the 
foot  from  slipping  backwards,  and  may  thus  enable  the  toe  to 
obtain  a  firmer  hold.  For  carriage  and  riding  horses  I  much 
prefer  to  have  the  shoe,  for  the  last  two  inches,  made  gradu- 
ally thicker  towards  the  ground  surface,  the  last  inch  being 
plane  with  the  ground ;  and  I  believe  that  such  a  form  often 
prevents  strains  of  the  back  sinews,  when  a  horse  is  suddenly 
stopped  with  his  hind  feet  far  under  him,  or  when  he  has  to 
hold  back  a  carriage  against  a  steep  hill. 

The  toe  being  the  part  of  the  hind  shoe  which  is  exposed 
to  the  greatest  wear,  requires  to  have  considerable  substance 
given  to  it,  and  should  always  be  accompanied  by  a  strong 
narrow  clip  turned  up  in  front  of  the  hoof,  to  obviate  the  dan- 
ger of  the  shoe  being  forced  back  upon  the  foot,  a  circum- 
stance very  likely  to  happen  where  a  clip  is  not  employed^ 
Clips  on  the  side  of  the  foot  are  of  very  doubtful  advantage  in 
retaining  the  shoe,  and  are  decidedly  objectionable,  as  occu- 
pying the  place  of  nails,  which  would  perform  the  duty  much 
more  efficiently,  and  inflict  less  injury  upon  the  horn.  The 
common  objection  urged  against  a  clip  at  the  toe,  viz.  that  it 
causes  the  unpleasant  noise  called  "  forging,"  arises  from  the 
abuse  rather  than  the  use  of  it ;  for  if  we  consider  for  a  mo- 
ment how  "  forging"  is  occasioned,  we  shall  see  that  a  stout 
narrow  clip,  properly  let  into  the  horn  at  the  toe,  is  not  at  all 
likely  to  produce  it,  although  a  broad  clumsy  one,  extending 
from  side  to  side  of  the  toe,  occasionally  may. 

Before  a  horse  can  advance  his  fore  foot,  he  must  disen- 
gage it  from  the  ground  ; — to  effect  this  he  is  obliged  to  raise 
it  in  a  direction  inclining  upwards  and  backwards,  and,  if  he 
happen  to  dwell  in  the  performance  of  this  preliminary  move- 
ment, the  hind  foot,  which  is  propelled  forwards  and  down- 
wards, to  be  deposited  beyond  the  spot  that  was  the  moment 
before  occupied  by  the  fore  foot,  comes  into  collision  with 
it,  and  forces  the  toe,  clip  and  all,  into  the  hollow  of  the 
fore  foot  turned  up  ready  to  receive  it.  Now  in  doing  this 
the  clip  is  not  brought  into  immediate  contact  with  iron,  but 
is  struck  against  either  sole  or  frog,  as  the  case  may  be,  and 
cannot  produce  any  very  audible  sound  :  the  truth  is,  that  the 
offensive  noise  is  caused  by  the  meeting  of  the  edges  of  the 
two  shoes  at  the  points,  where  the  hind  shoe  is  stopped  from 
entering  further  into  the  opening  of  the  fore  shoe. 

These  points  of  contact  are  almost  always  indicated  by  a 
bright  spot  on  each  side  of  the  rim  of  the  hind  shoe,  and  ar® 


AND    HOW    TO    KEEP    IT    SOUND.  31 

generally  to  be  found  at  the  extremities  of  the  toe  on  either 
side,  just  where  the  shoe  begins  to  turn  backwards,  and  they 
should  be  removed  by  the  file  : — indeed  it  is  a  good  plan  al- 
ways to  make  the  front  of  the  toe  of  the  hind  shoe  to  incline 
backwards,  as  it  approaches  the  ground,  so  as  to  place  the 
gro  ad  surface  somewhat  further  back  than  the  foot  sur- 
face. 

There  is  one  other  circumstance  connected  with  the  toe  of 
the  hind  shoe  deserving  of  notice ;  I  mean  that  part  with 
which  a  horse  inflicts  upon  himself  the  injury  called  an 
"  overreach,"  and  which  is  erroneously  supposed  to  be  the 
front  of  the  shoe  at  the  toe,  whereas  it  is  invariably  caused  by 
the  back  edge  of  the  web  at  the  toe,  which  in  an  old  shoe  be- 
comes as  sharp  as  a  knife,  and  often  cuts  out  a  piece  from  the 
soft  parts  immediately  above  the  heel  of  the  fore  foot  as  cleaD 
as  any  knife  could  have  done  it.  To  avoid  this  accident 
which  sometimes  produces  very  great  inconvenience,  the  bacf 
-sdge  of  the  web  all  round  the  toe  should  be  filed  away,  unti 
it  presents  a  blunt  rounded  surface,  which,  if  it  should  fail  J 
preventing  the  overreach  altogether,  will  at  least  preserve  tli» 
parts  from  being  wounded. 

While  treating  of  the  hind  shoe,  I  m^y  perhaps  be  expected 
to  give  some  directions  for  obviating  the  inconvenient  habi.. 
which  some  horses  have  of  "  cutting  ;"  but  as  each  individual 
horse  has  his  own  particular  mode  of  doing  it,  any  generai 
rule  as  applied  to  the  shoe,  must  of  necessity  fail  to  meet  the 
requirements  of  the  great  majority  of  cases.  Oar  first  care 
should  be  to  acquaint  ourselves  with  the  exact  part  of  the 
shoe  with  which  the  injury  is  inflicted  : — until  this  is  clearljf 
ascertained  we  shall  be  working  in  the  dark,  an^  most  proba- 
bly do  a  great  deal  more  than  is  necessary.  The  plan  I  have 
always  adopted  has  been  to  apply  a  boot  covered  with  we^. 
pipe-clay  to  the  injured  leg,  and  then  to  trot  the  horse  some 
little  distance  : — the  result  has  been  the  transfer  of  a  portior; 
of  the  pipe-clay  to  the  offending  part  of  the  opposite  shoe, 
thereby  indicating  the  necessity  of  its  removal.  The  smali 
extent,  and  little  suspected  situation  of  such  part,  is  some- 
times truly  surprising.  I  once,  in  a  case  of  inveterate  cutting, 
found  the  pipe-clay  adhering  to  the  outside  toe.  In  this  case 
the  poor  horse  had  been  subjected  to  shoes  of  every  conceiva- 
ble shape  and  deformity,  without,  of  course,  any  other  result 
than  the  torture  arising  from  the  twisting  and  straining  con- 
sequent  upon  uneven  bearing  :  but  the  moment  the  offend- 
ing part  was  discovered  and  removed,  the  cutting  ceased ; 


82  THE  horse's  foot, 

even  bearing  was  then  restored  to  the  foot,  and  the  horse 
thereby  placed  in  comfort. 

Cutting  with  the  fore  foot  is  almost  always  to  be  prevented 
by  one-sided  nailing,  and  keeping  the  shoe  a  little  within  the 
edge  of  the  crust  on  the  inner  side;  but  as  this  is  generally 
overdone,  by  placing  the  shoe  so  much  within  as  to  depri  e 
the  crust  of  its  requisite  support,  it  will  be  advisable  to  as- 
certain,  by  the  use  of  pipe-clay,  the  exact  point  with  which 
the  shoe  strikes,  when  the  part  needing  alteration  at  once  dis- 
closes  itself. 

The  practice  of  shoeing  horses  in  the  stable,  away  from  the 
forge,  where  there  is  no  possibility  of  correcting  any  defect 
in  the  fitting  of  the  shoe,  is  so  utterly  opposed  to  reason  and 
common  sense,  that  I  should  only  have  adverted  to  it  as  a 
custom  of  bygone  days,  exploded  with  the  use  of  the  but- 
tress, and  the  notion  of  chest  founder,  if  I  had  not  actually 
witnessed  its  perpetration  four  times  within  the  last  year,  and 
that  too  in  the  stables  of  gentlemen  by  no  means  addicted 
upon  other  matters  to  yield  their  judgment  a  ready  captive  to 
other  men's  prejudices.  Now  if  either  of  these  gentlemen 
had  happened  to  ask  the  smith  "what  he  was  doing?"  the 
answer  would  in  all  probability  have  awakened  him  to  a  sud- 
den conviction,  that  he  was  giving  his  countenance  to  a  most 
unphilosophical  proceeding ;  for  the  smith  would  have  told 
him,  that  he  was  fitting  a  shoe  to  the  horse's  foot,  which  the 
gentleman  would  at  once  perceive  to  be  impossible  ;  inasmuch 
as  he  had  no  means  at  hand  whereby  to  effect  the  smallest 
change  in  the  form  of  the  shoe,  however  much  it  might  re- 
quire it ;  and  the  truth  would  instantly  force  itself  upon  him, 
that  the  man  was  fitting  the  foot  to  the  shoe,  and  not,  as  he 
supposed,  the  shoe  to  the  foot.  To  fit  the  shoe  to  the  foot 
without  the  aid  of  anvil  and  forge  is  impossible  ;  and  any 
one  acquainted  with  the  exactness  and  precision  necessary 
to  a  perfect  fitting,  would  not  hesitate  to  declare  the  attempt 
to  be  as  absurd  as  it  is  mischievous.  Suppose,  for  example, 
the  shoe  to  be  a  little  too  wide  in  any  particular  part ;  this 
will  throw  the  nail-holes  rather  further  out  than  they  ought 
to  be ;  but  as  there  are  no  means  of  altering  it,  there  the 
nails  must  be  driven,  and  a  constant  strain  outwards  will  be 
the  inevitable  consequence  :  if  on  the  contrary  it  be  too  nar- 
row, the  strain  will  be  inwards,  and  press  upon  the  sensitive 
parts  of  the  foot :  in  either  case  producing  uneasiness,  and 
causing  the  horse  to  move  with  a  feeling,  undecided  step. 
Again :  if  the  crust  have  not  an  even  bearing  everywhere 


AND  HOW  TO  KEEP  IT  SOUND.  8S 

upon  the  foot  surface  of  the  shoe,  the  part  so  deprived  of 
support,  being  elastic,  will  be  unable  to  resist  the  pressure 
from  above,  or  the  outward  thrust  of  the  parts  within,  and 
yielding  to  this  twofold  force,  will  drag  upon  the  elastic 
union  between  the  hoof  and  the  internal  parts  of  the  foot  at 
that  particular  place,  and  cause  great  uneasiness  ;  and  this 
is  by  no  means  an  unfrequent  source  of  stumbling  and  broken 
knees. 

Although  I  do  not  mean  to  assert  that  shoeing  at  the  forge 
will  of  itself  ensure  good  fitting,  I  do  assert  that  it  is  attended 
with  this  great  advantage — that,  if  the  smith  be  inclined  to 
do  it  well,  it  supplies  him  with  the  means  of  indulging  his 
inclination ;  whereas  in  the  stable,  no  quantity  of  zeal  will 
enable  him  to  do  more  than  make  the  best  of  a  bad  matter. 

The  only  reason  I  have  ever  heard  in  defence  of  this 
practice,  is  the  alleged  liability  of  horses  to  take  cold  from 
exposure  to  the  drafts  in  a  smith's  forge.  I  can  only  say  in 
answer,  that  it  has  never  happened  to  my  own  ;  and  I  believe 
that  a  little  care,  and  some  extra  clothing  would  ensure  the 
same  exemption  for  others. 

Although  it  is  no  part  of  my  plan  to  enter  upon  the  sub- 
ject of  shoeing  hunters,  or  plating  race-horses,  I  may  sUH 
perhaps  be  excused  for  offering  a  few  general  observations 
upon  both,  before  I  take  leave  of  the  subject  of  shoeing  al- 
together. 

In  reference  to  the  hunter,  I  would  advise,  as  soon  as  th^ 
hunting  season  is  over,  and  the  altered  nature  of  his  work 
will  admit  of  it,  that  his  feet  be  relieved,  as  much  as  possible 
by  the  substitution  of  longer  shoes,  with  broader  web,  and 
fewer  fastenings,  particularly  on  the  inside ;  and  that  he 
continue  to  be  so  shod,  until  the  return  of  the  hunting  season 
calls  again  for  the  hunting  shoe.  It  is  too  much  the  custom 
to  consider,  that  because  a  horse  happens  to  be  a  hunter, 
he  must  therefore  be  shod  all  the  year  round  in  short  shoes 
so  firmly  fastened  to  his  feet  that  the  foot  itself  would  be  as 
likely  to  be  pulled  off  as  the  shoe. 

A  far  greater  difference  is  made  between  the  shoe  of  a 
hunter  and  the  shoe  of  a  hack  than  there  need  be,  both  in 
form  and  fastenings ;  and  many  a  valuable  horse  has  been 
disabled  for  a  whole  season,  if  not  ruined  for  life,  because  a 
shoe  could  not  come  off,  and  save  the  foot  and  leg  from  a 
fearful  strain.  When  the  wrencn  is  verv  violent  the  shoe 
had  better  yield. 

With  regard  to  race-horses,  I  am  confident  that  a  greater 


34  THE  hoese's  foot, 

number  lose  their  races  from  the  situation  and  number  of 
the  nails  employed  in  plating,  than  from  any  other  causa 
whatever,  not  even  excepting  the  trickery  and  tampering; 
sometimes  practised,  but  oftener  I  believe  unjustly  suspected. 

The  dread  of  casting  a  plate  is  so  great,  that  it  is  no  un- 
common thing  to  see  them  secured  by  eight  or  nine  nails,  ex- 
tended from  heel  to  heel.  Now  it  is  impossible  that  a  hoof 
so  fettered  can  yield  or  expand  to  any  force  applied  to  it 
through  the  medium  of  the  weight  and  power  of  the  horse ; 
and  it  is  also  certain,  that,  if  the  hoof  do  not  expand,  the  vio- 
lence with  which  a  race-horse  lashes  the  ground  at  every 
stride,  must  needs  squeeze  the  sensitive  parts  very  uncom- 
fortably between  the  bones  of  the  foot  and  this  unyielding 
hoof,  and  deter  him  in  some  degree  from  throwing  his  whole 
weight  with  all  his  heart  into  his  feet,  as  he  does  when  he 
has  no  apprehension  of  producing  pain  thereby.  Now  let  us 
see  what  the  effect  of  stepping  short,  say  only  one  inch,  upon 
each  stride  would  be  in  running  over  the  Derby  course,  (a 
mile  and  a  half.) 

The  estimated  stride  of  a  race-horse  averages  twenty. four 
feet:  it  would  therefore  require  three  hundred  and  thirty  such 
strides  to  accomplish  the  proposed  distance ;  and  the  loss  of 
one  inch  only  upon  each  stride  would  give  a  total  loss  upon 
the  whole  distance  of  three  hundred  and  thirty  inches,  or 
nine  yards  and  six  inches, — equal  to  rather  more  than  three 
lengths  of  a  horse  sixteen  hands  high  :  but  suppose  the  loss 
of  distance  to  be  four  inches  upon  each  stride,  which  it  is 
much  more  likely  to  be ;  then  the  loss  would  be  thirty-six 
yards  and  two  feet,  or  thirteen  lengths  ;  fully  enough  to  raise 
a  cry  of  "  foul  play,"  "  the  horse  is  amiss,"  &c.  Now  no 
jockey  in  the  world,  however  frequently  he  may  have  ridden 
a  horse,  could  so  exactly  measure  his  stride,  as  to  be  enabled 
to  detect  a  deficiency  of  one  seventy -second  part  of  it,  which 
four  inches  would  be ;  much  less  could  he  detect  the  two 
hundred  and  eighty-eighth  part  of  it,  which  one  inch  would  be  ; 
so  that  he  could  never  make  himself  acquainted  with  the  real 
cause  of  so  signal  and  unexpected  a  defeat ;  and  the  whole 
snatter  would  remain  involved  in  mystery,  casting  suspicion 
and  distrust  on  all  around. 

How  commonly  do  we  hear  that  a  horse  performed  his  last 
gallop  at  a  much  better  pace  than  he  ran  his  race  ;  and  what 
a  catalogue  of  causes  are  conjured  up  to  account  for  the  fall- 
ing off  in  his  speed  ;  not  one  of  which  in  all  probability  has 
aay  thing  to  do  with  the  matter,     .t  would  most  likely  be 


AND   HOW    TO    KEEP    IT    SOUND.  35 

found  that  he  had  taken  his  gallop  in  shoes  to  which  his  feet 
had  become  accustomed ;  but  he  ran  his  race  in  new  plates 
firmly  nailed  from  heel  to  h^el,  "making  him  quite  safe,"  by 
putting  it  out  of  the  range  ot  possibility  that  he  should  ever 
be  enabled  to  "get  into  his  best  pace,"  for  there  is  nothing 
more  certain  than  the  fact,  that  a  horse  cannot  go  his  best 
pace  unless  his  feet  are  allowed  to  expand  freely  to  his 
weight  at  every  stride,  A  ready  way  of  permitting  this  ex- 
pansion would  be  the  adoption  of  three-quarter  plates  extend- 
ing from  the  outer  heel  to  the  commencement  of  the  inner 
quarter,  which  would  effectually  protect  those  parts  most  ex- 
posed to  wear  and  tear  in  the  generality  of  horses'  feet,  viz. 
from  the  inner  toe  across  the  foot  to  the  outer-quarter.  Such 
a  plate  might  be  very  securely  retained  by  six  nails  dis- 
tributed between  the  outer  heel  and  inner  toe,  thereby  re- 
serving to  the  whole  inner  side  of  the  hoof  its  uncontrolled 
power  of  expansion. 

I  turn  now  to  the  consideration  of  a  subject  of  fully  as 
much  importance  to  the  health  and  soundness  of  a  horse's 
foot  as  good  shoeing  itself;  I  mean  that  inestimable  blessing 
to  him,  freedom  of  motion  in  the  stable.  The  advantages  of  a 
loose  box  are  so  little  understood  by  horse-masters  in  general, 
that  its  usefulness  is  almost  entirely  limited  in  their  estima- 
tion to  sickness  and  disease :  and  it  is  no  uncommon  si^ht  to 
behold  two  or  three  loose  boxes  untenanted,  because,  forsooth, 
there  are  no  sick  horses  in  the  stud. 

I  was  first  led  to  divide  my  stable  into  boxes  instead  of  stalls 
from  motives  of  compassion  for  my  horse,  and  a  desire  to  rid 
myself  of  the  uncomfortable  feeling  it  always  produces  in 
me,  to  see  so  docile  and  generous  an  animal  subject  to  even 
greater  restraint  than  a  wild  beast  in  a  menagerie ;  for  the 
lion  or  tiger  is  permitted  freely  to  traverse  his  small  den, 
while  the  poor  horse  is  chained  by  the  head  to  a  fixed  point 
in  his  still  smaller  den,  a  prisoner  twice  imprisoned,  and 
denied  even  the  poor  relief  afforded  by  a  change  of  position. 
I  little  thought,  while  thus  solely  bent  upon  ministering  to 
my  horse's  comfort,  how  essentially  I  was  furthering  my 
own  interest,  until  an  accident  brought  me  acquainted  with 
Mr.  James  Turner's  invaluable  treatise  on  the  foot  of  the 
horse,  where  I  first  learned,  what  subsequent  experience  has 
fully  confirmed  to  me,  the  wonderful  extent  to  which  the 
usefulness  of  the  horse  is  secured  and  prolonged  by  the  free- 
dom of  motion  obtained  in  a  loose  box.  We  have  already 
seen    how   materially  his    usefulness    is   impaired    by  th« 


30  THE    HORSE  S    FOOI, 

smallest  injury  to  the  navicular  joint;  and  we  have  aim 
seen  the  beautiful  provision  nature  has  made  for  its  pra- 
tection  from  injury  in  the  elastic  cushion  interposed  be- 
tween it  and  the  horny  frog.  It  shall  now  be  my  endeavor  to 
show  in  what  manner  a  loose  box  tends  to  keep  this  cushioD 
in  a  healthy  state  of  elasticity. 

Nature  fomis  nothing  in  vain ;  all  her  works  are  designed 
for  specific  purposes ;  each  organ  has  its  separate  function 
assigned  to  it ;  and  the  only  condition  upon  which  she  will 
consent  to  keep  it  in  efficient  repair,  is  the  regular  and 
periodical  performance  of  that  function.  For  instance,  sup- 
pose an  accident  deprive  a  man  of  the  use  of  his  arm  for  a 
few  months  ;  the  muscles  at  the  end  of  that  period  will  be 
found  visibly  shrunk,  and  the  whole  arm  considerably  smaller 
than  its  companion,  constituting,  in  horsemen's  language,  "  a 
very  bad  match."  Here  the  non-employment  of  the  muscles 
has  accelerated  the  process  of  absorption,  while  that  of  res- 
toration has  been  nearly  suspended.  The  muscles  of  the 
other  arm  on  the  contrary,  being  regularly  employed,  have- 
earned  and  received  their  due  measure  of  restoration,  and 
retain  their  origrinal  dimensions  :  and  so  it  is  with  the  elastic 
cushion  in  the  horse's  foot ;  if  we  deprive  the  horse  of  the 
power  of  alternately  expanding  and  contracting  his  foot,  as 
nature  intended  he  should  do,  this  cushion  will  shrink  and 
lose  its  elasticity  ;  but  if  we  supply  him  with  the  means  of 
doing  so,  he  will  avail  himself  of  them,  and  its  elasticity 
will  be  retained  to  a  good  old  age. 

The  almost  perpetual  movement  of  a  horse  in  a  state  of 
nature,  while  grazing,  greatly  tends  to  preserve  the  different 
elastic  parts  of  his  foot  in  a  sound  and  healthy  condition,  by 
the  regular  compression  and  expansion  which  they  undergo,, 
according  as  his  weight  is  thrown  upon  or  removed  from 
them  ;  but  if  we  chain  him  to  a  post  for  twenty-two  out  of 
every  twenty-four  hours,  we  can  scarcely  wonder  that  so 
unnatural  a  proceeding  should  derange  an  organ  that  re- 
quires motion  to  preserve  it  in  health.  Take,  in  illustration 
of  the  mischievous  tendency  of  this  practice,  the  horses  of  a 
cavalry  regiment :  they  have  every  thing  in  favor  of  sound 
feet  except  the  stall  and  the  rack  chain ;  they  are  entirely 
exempt  from  the  hard  work  which  is  generally  referred  to 
as  the  cause  of  grogginess  ;  they  have  no  oft-repeated  and 
long  journeys  to  perform  at  a  fast  pace  on  the  hard  road  ; 
their  exercise,  shoeing,  grooming,  and  feeding  are  all  ad- 
ministered  with  clockwork  regularity ;  the  litter  is  carefully 


AND    HOW    TO    KEEP    IT    SOUND.  .  87 

removed  from  under  their  feet  during  the  day  ;  the  veterinary 
surgeon  is  always  at  hand,  to  attend  to  the  first  symptom 
of  lameness  ;  and  still  there  are  more  horses  cast  as  un- 
serviceable every  year  from  disabilities  commencing  in  the 
foot,  than  from  all  other  causes  combined.  The  rest,  and 
not  the  work^  has  wrought  the  ill.  Now  let  us  see  how  loose 
boxes  are  to  prevent  these  evils.  When  a  horse  is  free  to 
move,  he  very  rarely  remains  long  in  the  same  place  or  the 
same  position ;  he  is  perpetually  turning  himself  about, 
either  to  catch  a  distant  sound,  or  observe  an  approaching 
footstep  :  every  thing  attracts  him  ;  every  thing  interests 
him  ;  and,  what  is  of  far  greater  moment,  every  thing  causes 
him  to  move ;  whereby  each  foot  is  benefited  to  the  extent 
of  some  four  or  five  expansions  and  contractions ;  and  the 
sound  of  the  corn-bin  at  feeding-time  will  produce  at  least 
fifty  such.  It  is  far  otherwise  with  the  poor  beast  chained 
up  in  a  stall ;  he  is  attracted  by  the  same  sounds  ;  hears 
the  same  step  approach  ;  and  feels  the  same  interest :  he 
pricks  his  ears,  bends  his  head,  and  strains  his  neck  ;  but 
alas  !  he  does  not  move  ;  his  feet  are  not  expanded ;  turning 
about  he  knows  to  be  impossible,  and  therefore  he  does  not 
attempt  it ;  even  the  sound  of  the  corn-bin,  though  it  excite 
him  to  jump  and  play,  will  scarcely  cause  him  to  expand 
his  feet ;  the  excitement  inclines  him  to  rush  forward,  while 
the  wall  forbids  him  to  comply  ;  and  he  is  forced  to  collect 
himself,  so  as  to  throw  his  weight  upon  his  hind  quarters, 
almost  to  the  entire  exclusion  of  the  fore  feet.  Horses  ac- 
customed to  a  loose  box  generally  acquire  a  slow,  deliberate 
movement  in  it,  allowing  their  weight  to  dwell  evenly  and 
fully  upon  each  fore  foot ;  while  those  kept  in  a  stall  for  the 
most  part  move  in  it  with  a  quick,  sudden,  catching  motion, 
scarcely  ever  intrusting  their  whole  weight  to  either  foot  for 
more  than  an  instant. 

In  speaking  of  the  baneful  effects  of  stalls,  Mr.  Turner 
says,  "  I  firmly  believe,  that  if  every  valuable  horse  in  this 
kingdom  were  to  be  forthwith  turned  into  a  large  box,  night 
and  day,  besides  the  continuance  at  his  ordinary  work,  i1 
would  prove  the  worst  event  for  veterinary  surgeons  that  haa 
ever  happened  in  the  horse  world ;  because  it  would  teno 
more  to  cut  off  our  supply  of  groggy  lameness  and  its  at- 
tendants, than  any  circumstance  or  single  cause  that  haa 
ever  yet  been  published  or  even  named." 

With  the  expression  of  my  entire  concurrence  in  this 
opinion,  I  will   proceed  to  consider  the  objections  commonly 

4 


*» 


SB  THE    horse's   foot, 

urged  against  loose  box<^s,  which  for  the  most  part  are  so 
weak,  that  I  cannot  conceive  their  prevailing  much  longer 
against  such  vast  advantages :  the  only  serious  one  is  want 
of  space ;  and  that  is  often  pleaded  where  it  has  no  real  ex- 
istence. Most  modern  stables  are  built  with  stalls  from  six 
to  seven  feet  wide,  with  plenty  of  room  behind  the  horses  to 
allow  of  passing  without  incurring  the  danger  of  being 
kicked  : — in  such  a  stable,  sink  a  second  heel-post  at  just 
sufficient  distance  from  the  wall  to  allow  a  free  passage ; 
and  take  the  space,  so  gained,  into  the  stall ;  close  it  with  a 
gate,  and  you  will  have  a  very  fair  substitute,  in  the  absence 
of  a  better,  for  a  loose  box,  and  that  too  without  sacrificing  a 
standing  for  a  horse :  but,  if  a  stall  can  be  conveniently 
spared,  a  four-stalled  stable  may  be  converted  into  three 
very  good  boxes  by  shifting  the  divisions,  and  taking  in  the 
space  in  the  rear  of  the  horses.* 

Upon  the  whole,  I  very  much  prefer  this  kind  of  arrange- 
ment (with,  of  course,  as  much  space  as  can  be  afforded  to 
each  division)  to  boxes  separated  from  each  other  by  walls  ; 
for  the  horse  is  naturally  a  social  animal,  and  his  enjoyment 
is  greatly  increased  by  seeing,  as  well  as  hearing,  his  com- 
panions. The  best  kind  of  partition  between  such  boxes  is 
"  brick  noggin,"  cased  on  each  side  with  board,  and  sur- 
mounted by  iron  rails  :  the  former  may  be  about  five  feet  in 
height,  and  the  latter  about  two.  But  as  the  wall  approaches 
the  manger,  its  height  should  be  increased,  and  that  of  the 
rails  diminished,  so  as  to  prevent  the  horses  watching  each 
other  while  they  are  feeding.  When  one  horse  can  over- 
l£)ok  another,  while  they  are  both  feeding,  it  is  very  apt 
to  cause  them  to  swallow  their  food  without  properly  mas- 
ticating it,  either  from  the  hope  of  participating  in  their 
neighbor's  share,  or  the  fear  of  losing  some  portion  of  their 
own. 

The  question  of  space  may  be  fairly  left  to  itself;  for,  if 
there  be  positively  none,  there  ends  the  matter ;  and  if  it  be 
doubtful,  that  trite  adage,  "  where  there's  a  will,  there's  a 
way,"  will  give  the  horse  the  benefit  of  the  doubt.  But  the 
real  objection, — that  which  lurks  at  the  bottom  of  all  the 
others, — is  the  power  a  loose  box  gives  to  the  horse  of  lying 
down,  and  "  dirting"  himself,  after  he  has  been  made  clean 
for  the  day  ;  this  is  the  insurmountable  objection  that  has 
hitherto  so  stoutly  withstood  the  pleadings  of  humanity  for 

•  Page  64,  fig.  18. 


AND   HO"W    TO    KEEP   IT   SOUND.  89 

the  poor  horse :  and  perhaps,  while  the  question  rested  solely 
upon  that  ground,  the  groom  might  be  in  some  degree  ex- 
cused for  striking  the  balance  between  his  trouble  and  the 
horse's  enjoyment  in  his  own  favor;  but  now  that  the 
blessing  of  sound  feet  is  shown  to  be  involved  in  it,  there 
can  be  very  few  grooms,  indeed  none  worthy  the  name  of 
groom,  who  would  not  willingly  incur  twice  as  much  trouble 
to  secure  such  a  benefit  to  their  horses:  and,  when  horse- 
masters  once  become  thoroughly  alive  to  the  importance  of 
this  matter, — when  they  remember  that  the  natural  life  cf  a 
horse  is  from  thirty-five  to  forty  years,  and  that  three- 
fourths  of  them  die  or  are  destroyed  under  twelve  years 
old — used  up,  with  scarcely  a  foot  to  go  upon, — I  take  it 
they  will  be  very  apt  to  transfer  their  sympathies  from  the 
groom  and  his  trouble  to  their  own  pockets  and  their  horse's 
welfare. 

The  apathy  which  prevails  upon  this  subject,  and  checks 
any  thing  like  energetic  and  well-directed  efforts  towards 
amending  the  treatment  of  the  horse,  is  attributable  to  the 
false  notion,  which  is  too  commonly  entertained,  that  if  a 
horse  performs  his  work  moderately  well  for  five  or  six 
years,  he  has  done  all  that  could  reasonably  have  been  ex- 
pected from  him  ;  and  therefore,  as  the  phrase  goes,  "  he 
owes  his  master  nothing."  It  is  quite  true  that  five  or  six 
years'  labor  is  an  ample  return  for  the  treatment  received  by 
most  horses  ;  but  when  they  have  been  the  subjects  of  judi- 
cious management,  double  the  length  of  service  may  fairly 
be  expected  from  them, — indeed,  any  thing  short  of  that 
period  should  be  considered  as  leaving  them  their  master's 
debtor. 

A  favorite  arorument  with  that  numerous  class,  who  are 
contented  to  follow  in  the  track  of  their  neighbors,  is — that 
horses  have  always  been  kept  in  stalls :  therefore,  say  they, 
it  cannot  hurt  them.  This  is  very  like  the  argument  about 
skinning  eels.  Custom  may  proclaim  them  to  be  used  to  it ; 
but  each  individual  experiences  the  selfsame  torture  as  its 
predecessor,  whether  it  be  the  eel  deprived  of  its  skin,  or  the 
horse  of  the  soundness  of  its  foot.  Unluckily,  the  prog- 
ress of  disease  in  the  horse's  foot  is,  for  the  most  part,  so 
gradual,  as  to  escape  the  notice  of  common  observers  almost 
entirely,  until  it  is  forced  upon  their  attention  in  the  form  of 
palpable  lameness,  when  the  real  cause  is  naturally  enough 
overlooked  in  the  desire  to  fix  it  upon  some  recent  occur- 
rence.    If  the  advocates  for  continuing  the  use  of  stalls  will 


40  THE   horse's   foot, 

inquire  among  horse-masters  in  general,  whether  they  have 
ever  been  obliged  to  part  with  a  horse  for  lameness,  the  cause 
of  which  they  could  never  distinctly  trace  ;  the  answer  they 
will  assuredly  obtain,  coupled  with  the  foregoing  observa- 
tions, I  will  venture  to  hope,  may  lead  some  of  them,  at  least, 
to  suspect  that  the  time-honored  stall  may  very  fairly  be 
charged  with  a  considerable  share  in  the  mischief. 

The  real  fact  is,  that  nothing  short  of  a  miracle  can  save  a 
horse,  which  is  habitually  confined  day  after  day  to  one  spot, 
from  most  destructive  changes  in  the  delicate  and' complicated, 
mechanism  of  the  foot.  The  greatest  amount  of  care  and 
attention  that  we  can  bestow  upon  the  form  and  fastening  of 
the  shoe,  will  avail  him  little,  if  the  foot  to  which  it  is  at- 
tached be  not  permitted  to  move.  Frequent  and  regular 
motion  is  absolutely  essential  to  a  sound  and  healthy  condition 
of  the  horse's  foot ;  and  any  expectation  of  retaining  per- 
fectly sound  feet  with  stalls  and  rack-chains  involves  an 
impossibility,  and  never  will  be  realized. 

It  is  sometimes  alleged  as  an  objection  to  loose  boxes,  that 
they  offer  great  facilities  to  gross-feeding  horses  to  eat  their 
beds ;  but  as  this  evil  naturally  suggests  its  own  remedy,  I 
should  not  have  noticed  it,  except  for  the  purpose  of  calling 
attention  to  a  particular  form  of  muzzle  that  I  invented  some 
years  ago,  and  have  found  to  be  eiTectual  in  preventing  this 
evil,  (for  a  very  great  evil  it  unquestionably  is,)  while  it 
secures  to  the  poor  beast  his  free  breathing.* 

The  two  muzzles  in  common  use  are  extremely  inconve- 
nient and  objectionable.  A  horse  soon  learns  to  eat  through 
the  open  one  ;  while  the  closed  one,  usually  called  a  setting 
muzzle,  is  so  insufferably  hot  and  suffocating  to  wear,  that  it 
amounts  in  fact  to  an  instrument  of  torture. 

Having  said  thus  much  about  keeping  the  feet  in  a  sound 
and  healthy  condition,  it  may  be  well  to  inquire  what  precise 
meaning  attaches  to  the  expression  "  sound  feet,"  as  it  is  met 
with  in  common  use ;  because  perhaps  there  is  no  word  in 
the  English  language  which,  in  its  true  and  legitimate  signi- 
fication implies  so  much,  and  in  its  almost  universal  accepta- 
tion means  so  little,  as  the  word  sound,  when  applied  to  horses' 
feet.  The  great  latitude  extended  to  the  meaning  of  words 
in  horse-dealing  transactions  has  shorn  the  one  in  question 
of  every  attribute  which  gave  it  value,  and  has  reduced  it  to 
a  miserable  cheat,  conveying  no  other  guarantee  than  that 

•  Pages  65,  66,  figs.  19  and  20. 


AND   HOW    TO    KEEP   IT   SOUND.  41 

.••Jie  horse  is  not  palpably  lame  in  one  foot  only ;  for  if  he 
should  chance  to  be  lame  in  both  fore  feet,  the  pain  of  allow- 
ing the  weight  to  rest  upon  either  will  cause  him  to  pass  it  as 
quickly  as  possible  from  one  to  the  other,  and  not  only  save 
•nim  from  condemnation,  but  most  probably  gain  for  him  the 
reputation  of  being  a  quick  stepper. 

The  truth  is,  that  a  foot  afflicted  with  inflammation  and 
pain  sufficient  to  deter  a  horse  from  bearing  a  fair  share  of 
his  weight  upon  it,  cannot  be  considered  to  be  in  a  sound 
condition ;  and  so  long  as  the  disability  continues,  so  long 
is  the  foot  unsound.  The  various  degrees  of  ^^ pointings" 
ranging  between  the  occasional  partial  withholding  of  the 
weight  from  the  heel  without  advancing  the  foot — perceptible 
only  to  the  most  practised  eye, — and  the  habitual  thrusting 
out  of  the  whole  leg  to  the  front — palpable  to  every  beholder, 
— are  so  many  indications  of  pain  in  the  foot ;  the  intensity 
of  the  pain  being  marked  by  the  degree  of  pointing :  and  in 
spite  of  the  determination  to  consider  them  as  mere  variations 
of  a  trick,  they  are  unequivocal  symptoms  of  unsound  feet. 
The  horse  is  far  too  wise  an  animal  ever  to  inconvenience 
fiis  whole  frame,  merely  to  gratify  a  particular  trick ;  and  I 
take  it,  his  reason  for  pointing  will  be  found,  upon  investiga- 
tion, to  have  much  more  to  do  with  a  desire  to  relieve  him- 
self from  pain  than  an  inclination  to  indulge  a  caprice.  The 
act  of  pointing  calls  upon  him  to  withdraw  half  the  support 
from  half  of  the  base  on  which  his  body  stands,  and  that  too 
at  a  part  where  it  can  least  be  spared, — where  his  head  and 
neck  overhang  it,  and  tend  to  throw  a  great  increase  of 
weight  very  unevenly  upon  the  remaining  support ;  thus 
foi'cing  him  to  equalize  the  pressure  as  soon  as  he  can,  by 
dividing  it  between  the  remaining  support  and  the  leg  of  the 
opposite  side  behind.  Experience  has  taught  him  that  this  is 
best  effected  by  adjusting  the  balance,  before  the  removal  of 
the  suffering  foot  from  the  ground ;  and  we  accordingly  ob- 
serve him  commencing  the  process  by  withdrawing  the  sup- 
port of  the  hind  leg,  and  then,  having  arranged  the  balance 
to  his  mind,  he  raises  the  foot  intended  to  be  rested,  and  car- 
rying it  forward,  deposites  it  at  such  a  distance  from  the  base 
as  shall  ensure  to  it  perfect  exemption  from  sustaining  any 
of  the  weight.  We  can  readily  imagine  that  an  animal 
formed  to  stand  upon  four  legs,  would  find  it  an  irksome 
business  to  support  himself  for  any  length  of  time  upon  two : 
and  so  in  practice  the  horse  finds  it  to  be ;  for  his  muscles 
■oon  become  weary  of  their  increased  work,  and  he  is  driven 

4* 


42  THE  horse's  foot, 

to  seek  relief  from  the  new  pain  by  a  change  of  position, 
which  again  calls  forth  the  old  one, — and  thus  the  poor  beast 
is  doomed  to  a  perpetual  alternation  of  painful  sensations.  His 
courage  enables  him  to  bear  a  great  deal  of  pain  without 
flinching,  particularly  when  it  increases  upon  him  in  the 
stealthy  manner  that  usually  marks  the  course  of  unsound- 
ness in  the  feet.  There  is,  however,  a  point  beyond  which 
his  endurance  cannot  be  stretched,  and  the  progressive  na- 
ture of  unsoundness  is  sure  in  the  end  to  find  it  out ;  and 
although  he  may  contrive,  by  shortening  his  step  and  striking 
the  ground  less  forcibly  with  his  feet,  to  put  off  the  discovery, 
and  may  continue  to  work  upon  very  unsound  feet  even  for 
years,  still  he  is  at  last  compelled  to  yield.  Sinking  his 
head  and  neck  at  every  step,  to  remove  their  weight  from 
the  foot  at  the  moment  it  meets  the  ground,  he  declares  by 
signs  no  longer  to  be  mistaken  that  he  is  decidedly  lame ; 
and  this,  in  all  probability,  is  the  first  intimation  which  the 
master  receives  of  any  thing  being  amiss  with  his  horse's 
foot.  He  then,  in  his  innocent  astonishment,  begins  recalling 
to  mind  the  events  of  the  last  few  days,  vainly  hoping  to  find 
in  them  the  cause  of  this  unlooked-for  calamity. 

Few  circumstances  appear  to  arouse  a  horse-master's  in- 
dignation so  much  as  an  imputation  upon  the  soundness  of 
his  horse's  feet ;  but  surely  this  extreme  sensitiveness  is  not 
very  philosophical,  where  the  tendency  of  the  whole  treat- 
ment of  the  animal  is  to  make  them  unsound.  It  would  be 
more  rational  to  admit  the  unsoundness,  and  adopt  measures 
for  removing  it,  than  to  deny  its  existence,  and  persevere  in 
the  treatment  that  caused  it. 

A  horse  in  work  with  perfectly  sound  feet  is  of  much  rarer 
occurrence  than  is  generally  supposed  ;  but,  fortunately,  per- 
fect soundness  of  foot  is  not  absolutely  essential  even  to  the 
performance  of  a  vast  deal  of  work,  in  what  is  called  very 
good  style,  as  is  proved  by  the  feet  of  a  great  majority  of  the 
horses  that  perform  wonderful  tasks  to  the  entire  satisfaction 
of  their  masters :  it  is  nevertheless  a  very  desirable  attribute, 
and  will  amply  repay  any  trouble  that  we  may  take  to  ensure 
it,  not  only  in  the  extent  to  which  it  prolongs  the  horse's 
usefulness,  but  also  in  the  free,  willing,  and  agreeable  manner 
in  which  his  work  is  done, — carrying  conviction  on  the  face 
of  it  that  it  is  unaccompanied  by  pain. 

The  influence  of  regular  daily  exercise  upon  the  health  and 
well-being  of  the  horse  is  generally  much  too  lightly  es- 
teemed both  by  masters  and  grooms, — who  seem  for  the  most 


AND  HOW  TO  KEEP  IT  SOUND.  49 

part  agreed  that  there  is  no  great  harm  in  a  horse  remaining 
in  the  stable  for  two  or  three  days  in  succession  without  ex. 
ercise,  provided  that  his  legs  do  not  swell ;  but  I  trust  that  I 
shall  have  prepared  many  of  my  readers  to  believe  with  me, 
that  it  is  far  otherwise  than  indifferent  to  him  whether  he  be 
imprisoned  day  after  day,  with  the  elastic  machinery  of  his 
foot  wasting  and  decaying  from  want  of  use,  or  be  afforded 
the  opportunity  of  keeping  it  in  vigorous  and  healthy  repair 
by  due  employment  out  of  the  stable  for  three  or  four  hours 
every  day. 

It  w^ould  be  almost  impossible  to  overrate  the  value  of 
daily  long-continued  walking  exercise  to  the  health,  condition, 
soundness  of  feet,  and  general  usefulness  of  the  horse  ;  and 
whoever  habitually  deprives  him  of  these  blessings,  merely 
to  save  himself  a  little  trouble,  inflicts  a  cruel  and  lasting 
injury  upon  a  generous  and  unoffending  animal,  and  is  un- 
worthy to  be  intrusted  with  the  care  of  him.  Old  horses 
require  less  exercise  than  young  ones  ;  but  as  the  quantity 
usually  allotted  to  horses  of  every  age  falls  short  of  the  por- 
tion necessary  for  the  very  oldest,  there  is  little  apprehension 
of  any  receiving  too  much.  The  perfect  allowance  for  horsea 
in  health,  of  from  five  to  fifteen  years  of  age,  would  be  fou* 
hours  a  day — two  in  the  early  morning,  and  two  in  the  after 
noon:  but  as  it  requires  an  extensive  stable  establishment 
»to  carry  this  plan  into  effect,  especially  where  there  are  many 
horses  kept,  it  will  be  more  to  our  purpose  to  consider  the 
smallest  possible  quantify  with  which  we  can  hope  to  keep 
cur  horses'  feet  in  a  sound  and  healthy  condition.  This  I 
should  put  at  two  hours  a  day, — and  a  pitiful  allowance  it 
undoubtedly  is  in  a  case  where  nature  has  dictated  almost 
constant  movement :  but  so  niggardly  are  horse-masters  in 
general  of  this  most  essential  requisite,  that  they  will  scarcely 
ever  allow  their  horses  more  than  from  half  to  three-fourths 
of  an  hour  daily ; — and  we  find  men,  who  are  profuse  in  the 
expensive  luxuries  of  excessive  feeding,  clothing,  and  pam. 
pering,  turn  wonderful  economists  in  the  inexpensive  necessa- 
ries of  air  and  exercise.  Trotting  a  horse  to  and  fro  upon  a 
hard  road  for  half  an  hour,  just  to  stretch  his  limbs  and  keep 
them  from  swelling,  is  too  frequently  considered  to  be  fully 
sufficient  exercise  for  the  day  : — and  I  verily  believe,  if  men 
could  ride  better,  and  horses'  legs  did  not  swell  from  long-con- 
tinued confinement,  many  horses  would  never  be  exercised 
at  all  beyond  their  positive  work : — but  most  men  are  very 
sensitive  about  the  slightest  appearance  of  swelling  in  theii 


44  TEE   HORSE  S   FOOT, 

horse's  legs  ;- — and  nature  has  implanted  in  most  horses  such 
a  lively  mode  of  expressing  their  joy  at  the  change  from  the 
close  atmosphere  of  the  stable  to  the  freshness  of  the  open  air, 
that  a  kind  of  compact  seems  formed  between  pride  and  fear, 
to  extort  for  the  poor  beast  at  least  sufficient  exercise  to  keep 
his  legs  fine  and  his  exuberant  spirits  within  ridable  bounds. 

The  only  other  subject  requiring  especial  notice,  is  the 
treatment  of  the  foot  in  the  stable, — the  directions  for  which 
are  few  and  simple.  The  horny  crust  has  a  great  tendency 
in  almost  all  feet  to  become  dry  and  brittle,  and  to  lose  its 
elasticit}^,  which  disposes  it  to  curl  inwards  upon  the  internal 
parts  of  the  foot.  This  we  should  endeavor  to  preverit,  as 
much  as  possible  ;  and  the  best  applications  for  that  purpose 
are  grease  and  moisture :  I  name  them  in  conjunction,  be- 
cause I  think  they  should  always  be  employed  together 
that  is,  the  use  of  grease  should  always  precede  the  applica- 
tion of  moisture.  The  latter  will  keep  the  horn  soft  and  plia- 
ble during  the  continuance  of  its  application  to  the  hoof;  but 
it  is  no  sooner  discontinued,  than  evaporation  takes  place,  and 
the  horn  becomes  as  hard  and  brittle  as  before :  whereas,  if 
the  hoof  be  well  rubbed  with  some  greasy  mixture,  so  as  to 
fill  the  small  spaces  between  the  fibres  of  the  horn,  before 
the  damp  is  applied,  the  hoof  will  derive  the  full  benefit  of 
the  cold,  and  be  left,  when  the  evaporation  is  over,  in  a  tough 
and  pliable  condition. 

The  following  ointment  will  be  found  to  answer  the  purpose 
admirably,  and,  if  it  be  freely  used  to  the  hoof  every  nigh< 
and  morning,  will  keep  it  in  an  elastic  healthy  state.  To  a 
pound  and  a  half  of  lard  add  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  tar,  a 
quarter  of  a  pound  of  honey,  and  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of 
beeswax  :  melt  the  lard  and  beeswax  together,  and  stir  in 
ihe  tar  and  honey,  and  if,  when  cold,  it  should  be  too  hard, 
remelt  it  and  add  a  little  olive-oiL 

Whenever  there  is  heat  in  the  foot,  the  use  of  cold  water 
for  two  or  three  hours  at  a  time  is  often  very  serviceable, 
and  the  best  mode  of  applying  it  is  to  olace  three  or  four 
thicknesses  of  horse  clothing  together  of  nearly  the  depth  of 
the  hoof,  and  having  sewn  the  top  edge^  together,  attach  a 
small  buckle  and  strap,  and  fasten  it  loosely  around  the  pas- 
tern  joint  above  the  hoof:  plunge  the  foot  into  a  bucket  of 
v/ater,  and  keep  it  there  until  the  cloth  is  thoroughly  saturated 
with  wet ;  then  remove  the  bucket,  and  allow  the  wet  cloth 
to  remain  on,  rewetting  it  occasionally.  This  should  never 
be  done  when  the  horse's  foot  is  heated  from  recent  exercise, 


AND   HOW   TO    XEEP    IT   SOUND.  41 

as  the  sudden  chill  at  such  a  time  would  most  likely  bring  on 
fever  of  the  feet.  The  early  morning  suggests  itself  as  the 
fitting  time  for  the  employment  of  this  remedy,  when  the 
horse  is  nearly  certain  of  having  been  at  rest  for  many  hours. 

Stopping  the  feet  at  night  is  a  very  beneficial  custom  ;  and 
fresh  cow-dung  is  perhaps  as  good  a  thing  as  can  be  employed 
for  the  purpose  ;  it  retains  its  moisture  longer  than  clay, 
which  is  often  used,  and  when  dry  is  less  hard  to  the  feet. 
The  space  within  the  shoe,  between  the  sole  and  the  ground, 
being  thus  filled  with  an  elastic  mass,  affords  an  even  support 
to  the  whole  under-surface  of  the  sole,  resembling  in  some 
degree  v/hat  the  unshod  foot  receives  from  soft  ground  ;  and 
I  believe  the  foot  derives  as  much  benefit  from  this  slight, 
but  even  support,  while  the  horse  is  at  rest,  as  it  does  from 
the  softening  effect  of  the  moisture  upon  the  horn.  The  feai 
of  causing  thrushes  by  the  frequent  use  of  wet  stopping  is 
very  much  exaggerated ;  for  where  the  disease  is  produced 
by  moisture  once,  it  is  produced  by  bad  shoeing  a  thousand 
times  :  indeed,  it  is  one  of  the  commonest  effects  of  the  re- 
straint to  the  foot  of  bad  shoeing,  and  never  occurs,  under 
any  circumstances,  where  the  foot  is  left  free  to  expand  by 
good  shoeing.  The  surest  and  never-failing  cure  for  thrushes, 
is  "  one-sided  nailing," — in  other  words,  permitting  the  fool 
to  expand.  I  have  cured  two  bad  cases  of  thrushes  of  long 
duration,  by  making  the  horses  stand  for  four  months  upon 
wet  sawdust  without  shoes.  The  sawdust  was  not  merely 
damp,  but  saturated  with  water  ; — and  the  horses  remained 
upon  it  all  day,  but  were  removed  at  night  into  a  dry  place 
to  sleep.  Neither  the  long-continued  application  of  exces- 
sive moisture  nor  the  gloomy  predictions  of  friends  could 
prevent  the  thrushes  from  getting  well,  when  the  foot  was 
thus  permitted  to  expand  freely  to  the  weight  of  the  horse. 

I  may  observe  here,  that  this  kind  of  treatment  is  far  pre- 
ferable to  turning  horses  out  either  to  grass  or  straw-yard, 
and  should  always  be  substituted  for  it,  whenever  from  any 
cause  they  may  require  rest. 

Of  course  the  continued  use  of  wet  sawdust  will  only  bo 
needed  where  the  feet  are  much  amiss ;  but  I  believe  that 
every  horse  which  is  laid  up  with  a  view  of  obtaining  perfect 
rest  for  him,  will  be  benefited  by  standing  without  shoes 
upon  it  for  two  or  three  hours  out  of  every  twenty-four  ; — un- 
less, indeed,  he  should  happen  to  have  weak  flat  feet ;  in  which 
case  1  would  shoe  him  with  leather.  The  soles  of  such  feet 
being,  for  the  most  part,  already  too  thin,  would  be  rendered 


46  THE  horse's  foot, 

less  able  to  resist  the  weight  from  above  by  the  softening  effect 
of  immediate  contact  with  so  much  moisture  ;  I  would  not, 
however,  on  that  account  deprive  the  remainder  of  the  foot 
of  the  benefit  to  be  derived  from  it. 

The  advantages  of  a  loose  place  over  turning  out  are  too 
numerous  to  be  enlarged  upon  in  a  work  of  this  kind  ;  1  may, 
however,  mention  a  few  of  the  most  prominent ;  the  chief  of 
which,  as  regards  our  object  of  obtaining  entire  rest,  is  the  in- 
surmountable obstacle  thus  placed  in  the  way  of  the  violent 
galloping,  which  horses,  from  various  causes,  are  apt  to  in- 
dulge in  when  at  grass  :  it  also  prevents  the  incessant  stamp- 
ing consequent  upon  the  insufferable  teasing  of  flies  ;  and  it 
offers  the  further  advantage  of  enabling  us  to  regulate  the 
food,  both  as  to  quantity  and  quality, — a  matter  deserving 
much  more  consideration  than  is  usually  bestowed  upon  it. 

In  conclusion,  I  will  beg  to  offer  a  few  remarks  upon  the 
false  estimate  usually  made  of  the  value  of  a  warranty.  A 
general  warranty,  as  regards  the  soundness  of  the  horse,  is 
valueless  ;  for,  if  he  be  unsound,  it  cannot  make  him  other- 
wise. Its  only  worth,  therefore,  when  stripped  of  its  sup- 
posed mysterious,  charm-like  influence  over  his  state,  con- 
sists in  the  authority  with  which  it  invests  the  buyer  to  pro- 
ceed against  the  seller  in  a  court  of  law,  qualifying  him  to 
expend  many  times  the  amount  of  the  purchase-money,  to 
prove  that  he  has  been  either  wilfully  or  ignorantly  deceived. 
Now,  instead  of  placing  implicit  confidence  in  such  an  in- 
strument as  this,  or  resting  satisfied  under  its  protection,  it 
would  be  much  wiser,  upon  making  a  fresh  purchase,  in  ad- 
dition to  the  warranty,  to  have  the  horse  examined  by  a  vete- 
rinary surgeon,  who  will  at  once  detect  any  'palpable  defects 
that  may  present  themselves  ;  and  then,  being  armed  with 
the  general  warranty  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  veterinary 
surgeon's  certificate  on  the  other,  to  set  steadily  and  perse- 
veringly  to  work,  by  good  shoeing,  a  loose  box,  and  plenty  of 
exercise,  to  endeavor  to  make  him  sound. 


AND   HOW   TO    KEEP    IT   SOUND. 


47 


FIGURES  I.  AND  II. 

Figs.  1  and  2  represent  the  left  or  near  fore  foot  of  a  pony 
five  years  old,  which  was  destroyed  in  consequence  of  an  ac- 
cident. It  had  been  but  a  few  times  shod,  and  is  a  very  good 
example  of  what  may  be  called  a  perfect  foot. — I  have  care- 
fully preserved  the  relative  position  of  the  various  parts  to 
each  other. 

Fig.  1. 


Tig.  1 — Shows  the  ground  surface  of  the  hoof  prepared  for  receiving  a 
shoe  ;  and  marks  very  distinctly  the  difference  between  the  curvature 
of  the  outer  and  inner  quarters. 

o     The  toe — ^rasped  away  to  receive  the  tumed-up  shoe. 

a  1.     The  inner  toe. 

a  2.     Tlie  outer  toe. 

b  1.     The  inner  quarter. 

h  2.     The  outer  quarter. 

c  1.     The  inner  heel. 

c  2.     The  outer  heel. 

d  d  d.     The  sole. 

c  e.    The  crust  or  wall  of  the  hoot 

//.     The  bars. 

g  g.  The  commissures. 

hkl     The  frog. 

h.       The  part  immediately  under  the  navicular  joint* 

k.       The  oval  cleft  of  the  frogr. 

I.       The  elevated  boundary  of  the  cleft. 

t  i.    The  bulbs  of  the  heels. 


\ 


46 


THE    HORSE  S    FOOT, 


Fig  2. 


Fig.  2 — Shows  the  outer  side  of  the  same  foot  with  a  shoe  attached : — It 
also  partially  shows  the  interior  of  the  hoof,  which  is  more  fully  repre- 
sented in  Figs.  21,  22,  and  23. 

a.    The  toe  of  the  shoe  turned  up  out  of  the  line  of  wear. 

h  h.     The  shoe  repiesented  of  the  same  thickness  from  toe  to  heel. 

c.  The  clinches. 

d.  The  hollow  for  receiving  the  coronary  substance,  which  secret«i 

the  horn. 
«u    The  Uiin  hofsy  plates  that  line  the  wall  of  the  Yktxtt 


AND    HOW    TO    KEEP    IT   SOUND. 


49 


FIGURES  III.,  IV.,  v..  AND  VI. 


Figs.  3,  4,  5,  and  6,  represent  the  detached  bones  of  the 
foot,  and  also  a  section  of  the  foot,  exhibiting  at  one  view 
the  relative  position  of  all  its  parts  in  the  way  of  a  map  : 
the  f('rmer  I  drew  from  the  bones  of  the  foot  represented  in 
Figs.  1  and  2, — and  the  latter  from  the  foot  of  a  young 
thorough-bred  horse,  rising  four  years  old,  in  which  shoeing 
and  stabling    had  not    had  time  to  produce    any   material 


nhanges. 


Fig.  3. 


a. 
b. 


g.  3. — The  coronet  bone. 

The  under  surface,  which  forms  part  of  the  coffin  joint. 
The  upper  surface,  which  forms  part  of  the  pastern  joint. 
c.     Roughened  surfaces  for  the  insertion  of  muscles. 

Fig.  4. 


fig.  4. — The  coffin  bone. 

a.  The  toe  ; — showing  its  elevation  from  the  ground  line  of  th» 
sides  of  the  bone,  as  also  its  notched  appearance. 

h  b.  The  wings. 

c  c.  Holes  for  the  passage  of  the  arteries,  which  supply  the  sensi- 
ble covering  of  the  bone  and  the  bone  itself  with  blood. 

d  d.  Surfaces,  which  form  part  of  the  coffin  joint. 

e.  The  body  of  the  bone  much  roughened  for  the  attachment  of 
the  sensible  laminae,  and  thickly  studded  with  holes  for  thd 
passage  of  blood-vessels. 

5 


60 


THE   HORSE  S   FOOT, 


Fig.  5. 


Fig.  5. — Two  views  of  the  navicular  bone. 

a.     The  under  surface. 

1.  The  surface  which  forms — with  the  tendon  passing  under  t— • 

the  navicular  joint. 

2.  A  roughened  surface  for  the  insertion  of  a  tendon. 
h.     The  upper  surface.  • 

1.     The  surface  by  which  the  navicular  bone  is  joined  to  the 
coffin  boue. 

2  2.  The  surface  which  forms  part  of  the  coffin  joint. 

3  A  deeply  roughened  surface  for  the  attachment  of  the  strong 

ligament  that  binds  the  navicular  to  the  coffin  bone. 

Fig.  6 


Fig   6. — A  section  of  the  foot 

1.  The  coronet  bone.  a.  The  wall. 

2.  The  coffin  bone.  b.  The  sole. 

3.  The  navicular  boue.  c.  The  cleft  of  the  frog. 
d  d.  The  frog. 

e  e.  The  fatty  frog  or  elastic  cushion. 

/.      The  sensitive  sole. 

g.     The  sensitive  frog. 

hhh.  Tendons  of  the  muscles  which  bend  the  foot. 

t.      Part  of  the  pastern  bone. 

k  k.  Tendons  of  the  muscles  which  extend  the  foot. 

I.      The  coffin  joint. 

fn.    The  navicular  joint. 

ru    The  coronary  substance. 

0.     The  seasible  lamisis,  or  covering  of  the  coffin  bone> 


AND   HOW   TO   KEEP   IT   SOUND. 


51 


FIGURES  VII.  AND  VIII. 

Figs.  7  and  8  represent  the  upper  and  under  surfaces  of  a 
near  fore  shoe  :  I  have  drawn  them  after  the  manner  of  a 
plan,  fearing  that  a  perspective  representation  of  thickness 
might  possibly  mislead. 

Fig.  7. 


'^m             ^F=2 

Fig'  7 — Shows  the  upper  or  foot  surface. 

a. 

The  clip  at  the  toe- 

a.  1. 

The  outer  toe. 

a.  2. 

The  inner  toe. 

b.  1. 

The  outer  quarter. 

i.  2. 

The  inner  quarter. 

c.  1. 

The  outer  heel. 

e.  2. 

The  inner  heel. 

d  d. 

The  seating. 

e    e. 

The  even  surface  for  the  crust  to  bear  upon 

'  s 

The  nail-holes. 

b% 


THB   HORSE  S    FOOT, 


Fig.  8. 


Fig    8 — Shows  the  under  or  ground  surface. 


a.     The  toe  turned  up  out  of  the  line  of  weijf, 

a  1. 

The  outer  toe. 

a  2. 

The  inner  toe. 

b  1. 

The  outer  quarter. 

b  2. 

The  inner  quarter 

c  1. 

The  outer  heel. 

c  2. 

The  inner  heel. 

d  d. 

The  web. 

e  e 

The  fullering. 

Si 

The  naiUhol^ 

4lND  how  to  keep  it  sound. 


53 


FIGURES  IX.  AND  XL 


Figs.  9  and  10  represent  a  near  fore  foot,  shod  on  the  ob- 
jectionable plan  of  having  the  shoe  "  well  set  off  at  the 
lieeis," 


Fig.  9. 


Fig.  9 — Shows  this  mode  of  shoeing,  as  it  is  usually  practised  ; — with  the 
web  at  the  heels  only  about  half  as  wide  as  at  the  toe  ;  the  heels  so  far 
separated,  as  to  deprive  the  important  parts  lying  between  them  of  all 
protection  ;  and  the  shoe  held  on  by  seven  nails,  placed  principally  in  tha 
quarters. 

5* 


64 


THE   horse's   foot, 


Vis.  10. 


Fig.  10 — Represents  the  sarae  foot  with  the  shoe  rendered  transparent,— 
showing  the  very  small  and  unimportant  portion  that  receives  protec- 
tion, compared  with  the  large  and  important  portion  which  is  left  ex- 
posed to  all  kinds  of  injury. 

a  a  a.  The  crust  seen  through  the  shoe. 
b  b.     The  bars  completely  exposed. 

c  c     The  outer  edge  of  the  crust,  bearing  upon  the  inner  edge  of 
the  shoe. 
d.    The  situation  of  corns  entirely  unprotected. 


It  will  be  observed  that  the  heels  of  the  shoe  afford  neither 
support  nor  protection  to  any  part  of  the  foot ;  and  that,  if 
the  inner  side  from  just  above  where  the  asterisk  or  star 
is  placed,  back  to  the  heel,  be  left  thus  projecting,  the  horse 
will  be  very  apt,  in  passing  over  rough  ground,  to  place 
the  other  foot  upon  the  projection,  and  tear  off  the  shoe. — 
The  edge  of  the  shoe  should  everywhere  correspond  to  the 
edge  of  the  crust. 


AND    HOW    TO    KEEP    IT    SOUND. 


6S 


FIGURES  XI.  AND  XII. 

Figs.  11  and  12  represent  the  same  foot  as  Figs.  9  and  10, 
but  shod  upon  a  plan  which  interferes  less  with  the  natural 
action  of  the  various  parts  of  the  foot,  than  any  other  that 
has  ever  been  suggested,  and  therefore  most  strenuously  to 
be  recommended. 


Fig.  11. 


Fig.  11 — Shows  a  shoe  so  applied:  the  web  at  the  heels  is  as  wide  as  at 
the  toe : — the  heels  are  brought  in,  so  as  just  to  clear  the  frog,  and  de- 
fend the  foot,  as  much  as  possible,  against  injury: — the  toe  is  turned  up 
out  of  the  line  of  wear : — the  fullering  is  carried  back  to  the  heels,  and 
the  nails  placed  four  in  the  outer,  and  two  in  the  inner  side  of  the  shoe. 
— I  carry  the  system  a  little  further  with  my  own  horses  ;  and  omit  the 
■ocond  nail  on  the  inner  side, — employLig  only  five  altogether. 


60 


THE   HORSE  S   FOOT, 


Fig.  12. 


Fig.  12 — Represents  the  same  foot  with  the  shoe  rendered  transparent 
showing  what  parts  of  the  foot  are  covered  and  protected  by  bfing  < 
ing  in  the  heels  of  the  shoe 

a  a  a.  The  crust,  with  the  shoe  closely  fitted  all  round. 

b  b.     The  bars,  protected  by  the  shoe. 

c  c.     The  heels,  supported  by  the  shoe. 

d.       The  situation  of  corns  protected  from  injury. 

If  we  compare  Fig.  12  with  Fig.  10  we  shall  be  struck 
with  the  disproportion  in  the  utility  of  the  two  shoes,  as  de- 
ences  for  the  horse's  foot. 

In  the  one  just  described  every  atom  of  the  shoe  is  made 
available  for  support  or  protection ;  while  in  the  other  a  very 
considerable  portion  is  not  only  utterly  wasted,  by  being 
thrust  out  beyond  the  hoof,  but  is  actually  converted  into  a 
source  of  evil, — receiving  on  the  inner  side  the  occasional 
tread  of  the  other  foot, — on  the  outer,  that  of  another  horse, — 
and  on  both,  resistance  to  the  withdrawal  of  the  foot  out  of 
stiff  ground,  thereby  risking  the  shoe  being  dragged  off;  for 
when  the  shoe  projects  beyond  the  crust  it  makes  an  opening 
larger  than  the  foot  can  fill,  and  the  clay  curling  over  the 
ledges  which  are  formed  by  the  projecting  portions  of  the 
shoe,  offers  a  resistance  to  its  return  exactly  proportioned  to 
the  depth  to  which  it  may  have  sunk  into  the  ground :  but 
where  the  shoe  has  been  accurately  fitted,  the  weight  of  the 
horse  expanding  the  foot  while  it  is  still  in  the  ground  en 


AND   HOW    TO    KEEP    IT    SOUND.  57 

larges  the  hole,  and  make  a  free  passage  for  the  return  of  the 
shoe. 

Again — on  comparing  the  parts  marked  h.  c.  d.  in  both 
feet  with  each  other,  we  shall  find  them  in  one,  defenceless 
and  exposed  ;  while  in  the  other  they  are  securely  sheltered 
by  a  bar  of  iron, — which  bar  of  iron,  by  its  near  approach 
to  its  neighbor,  often  saves  the  foot  from  alighting  upon  a 
stone  with  a  violence  that  would  thrill  through  horse  and 
rider. 


58 


THE   HORSE  S   FOOT, 


FIGURES  XIII.  AND  XIV. 

Figs.  13  and  14  represent  two  near  fore  shoes,  removea 
from  the  same  horse  at  different  times  : — the  first,  which  la 
full  of  defects,  was  replaced  by  the  second,  which  is  entirely 
free  from  them. 

Fig.  13. 


Pig.  13 — Is  the  portrait  of  as  faulty  a  shoe  as  could  be  met  with, — whose 
glaring  defects  we  will  endeavor  to  turn  to  a  useful  account  by  con- 
Bidering  them  first  in  detai"],  and  then  in  comparison  with  Fig.  14, 
where  they  have  been  corrected. 

a  0.  The  heels, — showing  that  the  shoe  becomes  thicker  and 
thicker,  as  it  proceeds  backwards,  until  it  forms  a  perfect 
wedge,  the  base  of  which  is  fully  double  the  thickness  of 
any  other  part  of  the  shoe. 

h  h.  Show  the  marks  of  the  crust,  bearing  upon  the  shoe  ;  and 
prove,  by  the  absence  of  a  defined  termination,  that  the  shoe 
was  too  short  for  the  foot,  and  had  not  reached  to  the  heels 
of  the  hoof. 

c  C.  The  seating, — discontinued  just  where  its  presence  was  most 
required,  and  a  mass  of  iron  left  to  project  into  the  angles  at 
the  heels,  where  pressure  should  be  particularly  avoided,  aa 
conducing  to  corns. 

d.  Four  of  the  nail-holes,  punched  entirely  in  the  seating,  in- 

stead of  in  the  flat  surface  around  the  shoe. 

e.  The  last  nail-hole  on  the  inner  side,  placed  so  far  back  in  tht 

quarter  as  to  prevent  the  possibility  of  the  foot  expanding. 


AND   HOW   TO    KEEP    IT    SOUND. 


5G 


Fi2. 14. 


a 
b 


a. 
h. 


$  c. 


Fig    \4 — Is  the  portrait  of  the  shoe  which  replaced  Fig.  13. 

The  heels  of  an  even  thickness  with  the  rest  of  the  shoe 
Show  the  poiats  at  which  the  heels  of  the  hoof  terminated  : 

they  are  however  better  shown  in  Figs.  15  and  16. 
The  seating  carried  back,  so  as  to  clear  the  angles  at  tha 

heels,  and  leave  the  seat  of  corns  free  from  pressure. 
d.  The  nail-holes  placed  in  the  flat  surface  which  supports  th« 

crust,  where  they  should  always  be. 
«.  The  hindermost  nail  of  the   inner  side   at  the  inner  toe, 

whereby  the  whole  of  the  quarter  and  heel  are  lefi  free  ta 

e]q»and. 


60  THE    horse's    FOOT; 


FIGURES  XV.  AND  XVL 

I  consider  myself  particularly  fortunate  in  having  obtained 
the  shoe  from  which  Fig.  15  in  this  and  Fig.  13  in  page  58 
have  been  drawn  ;  seeing  that  it  presents  an  illustration  of 
nearly  every  defect  a  shoe  could  possess,  without  one  redeem- 
ing quality  to  reconimend  it.  I  have  been  tempted  to  add 
another  view  of  it,  because  it  enables  me  to  show  some  of 
these  defects  to  greater  advantage  than  I  could  contrive  to  do 
in  Figs.  13  and  14. 

Fig.  15. 


Fig.  15— -a.     The  thick  wedge-shaped  objectionable  heel. 

b.  The  mark  made  by  the  bearing  of  the  crust,  showing  thai 

the  shoe  had  not  extended  far  enough  back  to  support 
the  heel. 

c.  The  termination  of  the  seating,  and  commencement  of  tlie 

mischievous  projection  of  iron. 

d.  The  nail-holes  punched  in  the  seating,  where  they  ought  not 

to  be. 
«.  The  flat  surface,  whereon  the  crust  ought  to  have  had  an 
even  bearing  all  round  the  shoe,  and  in  which  the  nail- 
holes  should  have  been  punched  :  we  shall,  however,  find, 
upon  comparing  this  surface  with  the  width  of  the  marks 
of  the  crust  at  b,  that  it  is  everywhere  narrower  than  the 
crust  to  be  supported  by  it ;  so  that  the  whole  weight  of 
the  horse  must  have  been  sustained  by  the  outer  half  OQly 


AND   HOW   TO    KEEP    IT    SOUND.  61 

of  the  crust ;  the  inconvenience  of  which  would  be  greatly 
aggravated  by  the  four  holes  of  the  outer  side  being  placed 
in  the  seating,  causing  a  considerable  strain  upon  the  nails, 
whenever  the  weight  was  thrown  upon  the  outside  of  the 
foot,  as  it  would  be  in  turning  to  the  left. 
J /.  The  seating,  everywhere  overdone,  excepting  at  the  heels, 
where  it  was  most  wanted  ;  and  there  it  is  discontinued 
altogether.  When  a  shoe  is  too  much  hollowed  by  seating, 
it  defeats  its  own  object  by  leaving  space  enough  for  a  body 
of  dirt,  or  even  small  stones,  to  work  in  and  become  im- 
bedded between  the  foot  and  the  shoe,  resisting  the  descent 
of  the  sole  as  effectually  as  an  unseated  shoe  would  do. 
Sufficient  space  to  admit  the  point  of  a  picker  to  pass 
freely  all  around  between  the  shoe  and  the  foot,  is  all  that 
is  necessary. 

The  web  of  the  shoe,  it  will  be  observed,  is  just  twice  as 
wide  at  the  toe,  where  the  cover  might  well  have  been  spared, 
as  it  is  at  the  heels,  where  protection  was  most  desirable. 

Fig.  16. 


fig.  16 — a.     The  heel  of  an  even  tliickness  with  the  rest  of  the  shoe. 

h.     The  mark  of  the  crust  with  the  termination  well  defined, 

showing  that  the  heel  had  been  supported. 
c.     The  seating  carried  through  to  the  heel. 

ff.    The  seating  less  hollowed  than  in  Fig.  15,  and  the  web  ol 
equal  width  at  the  toe  and  heel. 

The  shoe  Fig.  15,  I  found  on  the  foot  of  a  horse  which  I 
purchased  for  a  friend  about  two  years  ago ;  and  it  is  worthy 
of  remark,  that  it  was  placed  there  by  a  smith  who  enjoys, 

6 


62  THE    HORSE  S    FOOT, 

in  a  very  extensive  district,  the  reputation  of  being  a  particu- 
larly good  shoer.  If  gentlemen  could  only  be  persuaded  to 
inform  themselves  sufficiently  to  give  their  directions  with 
the  confidence  that  a  knowledge  of  the  subject  is  sure  to  en- 
gender, and  to  know,  when  the  work  is  finished,  whether  those 
directions  have  been  complied  with,  ♦hey  would  drive  such 
men  as  these  from  their  lamentable  ignorance  of  the  first 
principles  of  their  art  into  something  like  a  rational  view  of 
the  subject :  but  where  gentlemen  are  contented  to  remain 
without  knowledge,  smiths  may  be  excused  for  not  informing 
themselves. 


/»ND   HOW   TO   KEEP   IT   SOUND. 


FIGURES  XVII.  AND  XVIII. 


Figs.  17  and  18  represent  the  plan  upon  which  I  have 
lately  converted  a  four-stalled  stable  into  three  loose  boxes ; 
ana  show  that  the  space  gained  for  the  use  and  ccnifort  of 
the  horses  is  considerably  more  than  doubled. 


Fig.  17. 


.JSFt^lTL. 
6 


— SFl  8fn. S 


!J 


J — tjFisnu - 


.sn  din. 


i 


J't 


Fig  ?  t-^hows  the  space  as  origiaall^  *«id  out  for  a  foor-stalled  stable 

a.  The  manger  in  each  Btai?'. 

h  The  stalls. 

c.  The  heel-posts. 

d.  Part  of  the  saddlG-ionra. 

e.  The  door-way  from  the  saddle-room  to  the  stabla 
/.  The  door  opctting  towards  the  stable. 

g.     The  entrHRce  to  the  stable. 

h.  TW  stable  door  opening  from  right  to  left 


64 


THE   HORSE  S   FOOT, 
Fig.  18. 


a 


,....7Ft  8M,,.... ZFt  8In. 


a 


S; 


g 


n 


.7Ft6I?i^. 


|5 


-I- 

£Fe.^ 


& 


y 


d 


T 


Fig.  18 — Shows  the  same  space  turned  to  the  best  account  for  the  horses. 

a.     The  manger  undisturbed. 

h.     The  boxes. 

c  1.  The  original  partitions  and  heel-posts  of  the  stalls  shifted  bodily. 

c  2.  The  additional  heel-posts :  the  upper  part  of  the  partition  ex- 
tending from  c.  1,  to  c.  2  in  each  box,  is  composed  of  iron 
railing,  which  enables  the  horses  to  see  each  other. 

d.  Part  of  the  saddle-room. 

e.  The  position  of  the  door-way  changed,  so  as  to  prevent  the  losa 

of  space  occasioned  by  the  door  opening  towards  the  stable. 

/.  The  door  opening  back  into  the  saddle-room,  where  it  is  out  of 
the  way. 

g.     The  entrance  to  the  stable. 

A.  The  stable  door  hung  to  the  opposite  post,  by  which  arrange- 
ment whenever  it  is  opened  it  is  made  to  close  the  entrance 
to  the  saddle-room,  and  prevent  the  possibility  of  the  horses 
passing  into  it  instead  of  the  boxes. 

t.  The  door  of  the  box,  opening  inwards  so  as  to  place  it  out  of 
the  way. 

k  ^\,  The  doors  of  the  other  two  boxes,  opening  outwards  so  as 
k)  meet,  and  enclose  a  space  behind  them. 

m.  The  space  so  enclosed,  receiving  two  buckets,  a  shovel,  broom, 
dung-fork,  and  basket. 

n.  The  two  buckets,  and  above  them  a  seat,  which  acts  as  a 
shelf  to  deposite  any  thing  upon. 

By  this  disposition  of  the  space  the  horses  receive  the  full 
benefit  of  every  available  atom  of  it,  and  instead  of  there 
being  a  waste  of  23  feet  8  inches  by  9  feet  5  inches,  there  is 
positively  none  at  all ;  for  the  8  feet  by  5  feet  3  inches,  un- 


AND   HOW    TO    KEEP    IT    SOUND. 


65 


appropriated  to  the  use  of  the  horses,  is  not  more  than  is 
required  for  a  free  passage  into  the  boxes,  and  the  reception 
of  the  necessary  stable  implements.  The  doors  which  in  Fig. 
17  entail  a  waste  of  half  a  large  circle  of  space  in  the  open- 
«ig  and  shutting,  are  so  arranged  as  only  to  traverse  the  space 
necessary  for  the  passage ;  and  when  open,  to  form  sides  to  it, 
and  become  useful  in  directing  the  horses  in  and  out  of  their 
respective  boxes. 


FIGURES  XIX.  AND  XX. 

Figs.  19  and  20  represent  the  muzzle  mentioned  at  page  40. 

Fig.  19. 


Fig  i^-*— Shows  it  in  its  position  upon  the  horse's  head. 

a  X  Mark  the  width  of  the  opening — which  should  be  determined 
by  the  distance  from  the  nose  to  the  jaw-bone,  at  about  two 
or  three  inches  above  the  angle  of  the  mouth.  It  is  not 
necessary  that  the  head  should  go  deeper  into  it  than  this, 
but  it  is  essential  that  the  bottom  of  the  muzzle  should 
hang  fully  three  inches  below  the  lips,  as  shown  at  c,  be- 
cause the  horse  is  thus  obliged  fairly  to  deposite  the  muzzia 
before  'le  can  be  able  to  reach  the  bottom  of  it  with  hia 
lips ;  in  doing  which,  the  weight  of  the  muzzle,  and  tha 

6* 


66 


THE   HORSE  S   FOOT, 

pressure  thus  made  upon  it,  will  effectually  flatten  the 
straw  out  of  his  reach,  and  by  disappointing  his  hopes, 
soon  cause  him  to  discontinue  his  fruitless  efforts.  But  if 
the  bottom  of  the  muzzle  be  brought  tight  up  against  the 
lips,  the  head  and  the  muzzle  will  act  together,  and  the 
horse  will  eat  just  as  much  of  his  bed  as  he  pleases.  Its 
whole  utility  depends  upon  the  horse's  nose  being  so  free  of 
the  muzzle,  that  he  shall  not  be  able  to  reach  any  part  of  it 
with  his  lips,  without  putting  it  down,  when  he  instantly 
defeats  his  object. 


g     ~       I 
Fig  20 — Shows  the  detail  of  the  muzzle. 

a  a.  The  upper  rim,  made  of  iron. 
b  b.  The  lower  rim,  made  of  iron. 
eccc.  Four  iron  uprights  connecting  the  upper  and  lower  rims,  and 
riveted  to  them. 

d.  An  iron  stay  running  across  the  bottom  from  front  to  rear. 

e.  A  cross-piece  of  iron   riveted  at  the  centre  at  d  :  the  arms 

curving  upwards  are  each  riveted  to  one  of  the  uprights,  c, 
by  which  much  additional  strength  is  obtained,  and  the 
difficulty  of  feeding  through  the  open  spaces  greatly  in- 
creased. 
/.  Shows  one  of  the  long  wires  coming  through  the  upper  rim, 
whence  it  passes  straight  down  to  g,  through  the  lower  rim, 
across  the  bottom  to  h,  where  it  again  passes  through  the 
lower  rim  on  the  opposite  side,  and  is  carried  up  to  th« 
upper  rim  ;  and  is  riveted  through  it  at  i.  It  is  tied  to  the 
centre  band  of  wire  where  it  crosses  it  on  either  side. 


AND   HOW   TO   KEEP   '.T   SOUND.  61 

This  description  applies  to  each  of  the  long  wires,  as  does 
the  followino:  to  the  short  ones. 

k.  Shows  one  of  the  short  wires  commencing  with  a  turn  round 
the  centre  band  of  wire,  and  descending  to  the  lower  rim, 
through  which  it  passes  to  be  riveted  on  the  inner  side. 

m.  Portions  of  the  head-stall,  with  the  mode  of  fastening  them  to 
the  muzzle. 

nn.  A  pad  to  protect  the  horse's  nose  from  the  rim  of  the  muzzle. 
It  should  be  hollowed  in  the  centre  so  as  to  prevent  the 
weight  resting  entirely  upon  the  bone. 

It  has  been  suggested  to  me  that  a  similar  pad  at  the  back  p&rt, 
to  protect  the  jaw-bone,  would  be  an  improvement. 

The  frame-work  should  be  formed  of  flat  iron,  three- 
eighths  of  an  inch  wide,  and  one-sixteenth  of  an  inch  thick ; 
and  the  wire — ^tinned  iron  of  the  size  known  as  No.  11. 


68 


?^ 


THE    HORSE  S    FOOT, 


FIGURES  XXL,  XXII.,  AND  XXIII. 

Fig.  21. 


Fig.  22. 


Fijr.  23. 


AND    HOW   TO    KEEP    IT    SOUND.  69 

Figs.  21,  22,  and  23.  —  I  have  been  induced  to  add  these 
figures  in  consequence  of  meeting  with  the  foot  represented 
in  Fig.  21.  It  presents  such  an  admirable  illustration  of 
the  effect  of  shoeing  and  stabling  upon  the  frog  and  elastic 
cushion,  that  I  could  not  resist  the  impulse  to  draw  it  and 
pla^e  it  by  the  side  of  the  young  foot,  already  represented  by 
Fig.  6  ;  and  having  done  so,  I  was  further  led  to  add  a  sketch 
of  the  interior  of  the  hoof,  in  the  hope  that  bringing  the  three 
figures  under  notice  at  one  view,  might  enable  me  to  point 
out  more  clearly  what  changes  have  taken  place,  and  how 
they  have  been  brought  about.  Upon  a  careful  comparison 
of  Fig.  21  with  Fig.  22,  we  shall  be  struck  among  other 
things  with  the  great  difference  observable  in  the  bulk  of  the 
elastic  cushion  or  fatty  frog  in  the  two  feet — both  in  the  heel 
at  Z»,  and  in  the  portion  immediately  between  the  navicular 
joint  and  the  horny  frog  at  e.  I  found,  however,  a  difference 
in  the  quality  or  texture  of  this  part  in  the  two  feet  of  far 
greater  importance  than  any  diminution  of  quantity, — for 
while  Fig.  22  presented  a  substance  resembling  throughout 
its  whole  extent  a  mixture  of  fat  and  tendon,  and  yielded  to 
pressure  from  the  point  of  a  knife  without  being  pierced  by  it 
— that  is,  sunk  away  before  it — the  corresponding  part  in 
Fig.  21,  was  of  a  close  unyielding  texture,  offering  the  resist- 
ance of  firm  gristle,  and,  instead  of  sinking  away  from  the 
point  of  the  knife,  resisted  it  with  a  grating  sound  :  indeed 
I  could  perceive  no  difference  between  the  sound  produced 
by  passing  the  point  of  the  knife  over  this  substance  and  over 
the  horny  frog.  I  have  attempted  to  mark  where  the  change 
of  structure  commences  by  a  variation  in  the  touch  upon  the 
figure,  by  which  it  will  be  seen  that  the  texture  of  the  sub- 
stance at  h  is  pretty  much  the  same  in  each  foot,  notwith- 
standing the  great  disproportion  between  their  respective 
quantities.  In  Fig.  21,  where  it  has  suffered  under  bad  treat- 
ment, and  is  wasted  and  dwindled  to  almost  nothing,  it  soon 
assumes  a  close  firm  texture  as  it  descends  from  h  towards  e 
— until  (all  its  soft  parts  having  been  absorbed)  it  terminates 
in  the  hard  mass  marked  in  the  figure  by  checkered  lines. 

If  we  now  turn  to  Fig.  23,  and  with  its  assistance  contem- 
plate  this  part  in  its  situation  in  the  hoof,  we  shall  obtain  a 
clear  idea  of  the  relation  it  bears  to  the  other  parts  of  the  foot 
in  general,  and  the  navicular  joint  in  particular. 

a.     Is  a  broad  flat  mass  of  horn,  projecting  upwards  into  the  middle 

of  the  elastic  cushion,  and  is  called  the  "  frog  stay." 
b  h.  Are   two   horny   projections   rising  into  the  cavity  of  the  hoof 


7D  THB  horse's  foot,  etc. 

formed  by  the  commissures. — They  each,  at  b,  support  the 
part  marked  b  in  Figs.  21  and  22. 
e  c.  Are  portions  of  the  same  projections,  and  are  situated  just  under 
the  two  ends  of  the  navicular  bone,  and  mark  the  point  on 
either  side  where  diminution  in  the  natural  elasticity  of  the 
fatty  frog  would  be  felt  with  the  greatest  severity  by  the  na- 
vicular joint :  for  under  the  most  favorable  circumstances,  the 
quantity  of  cushion  between  these  points  and  the  navicular  joint 
cannot  be  very  large  ;  and  hence  the  importance  of  our  doing 
all  we  can  to  preserve  its  elasticity  as  long  as  possible. 

Figs.  21  and  22,  being  sections  of  the  foot,  are  calculated 
to  impart  a  false  idea  of  the  extent  of  protection  afforded  to 
the  navicular  joint  by  the  elastic  cushion,  if  they  are  not 
considered  in  conjunction  with  Fig.  23  ;  for  the  cushion,  being 
cut  through  at  the  part  occupying  the  hollow  between  c  c. 
and  dy  which  is  its  deepest  part,  would  lead  to  the  conclusion 
that  the  same  quantity  of  protection  was  extended  to  the  whole 
of  the  joint,  if  we  did  not  observe  that  the  projections  of  the 
commissures  c  c,  Fig.  23,  lie  nearly  on  a  level  with  the  top 
of  the  frog  stay,  a,  showing  that  there  is  not  space  for  an 
equal  quantity  of  cushion  between  them  and  the  navicular 
joint,  as  there  is  between  the  navicular  joint  and  the  bottom 
of  the  hollow  at  d  ; — and  it  is  evident,  that  if  the  cushion  at 
these  places  be  not  kept  in  a  sufficiently  elastic  condition  to 
guard  the  delicate  membranes  of  this  important  joint  from 
the  consequences  of  being  compressed  between  the  navicular 
bone  and  these  horny  projections,  injury  to  the  joint  must 
ensue,  and  unsoundness  of  the  foot  become  inevitable. 

Having  seen  the  changes  that  have  occurred  to  the  fatty 
frog  of  Fig.  21,  we  shall  naturally  be  led  to  inquire  if  the  sen- 
sitive frog  has  fared  any  better ;  to  which  end  we  must  first 
examine  it  in  Fig.  22,  where  we  shall  find  it  distinctly  mark- 
ed at  g,  and  by  tracing  it  over  the  frog  stay,  a,  we  shall  see 
that  it  extends  over  the  whole  surface  of  the  horny  frog,  be- 
tween it  and  the  fatty  frog :  but  we  shall  in  vain  look  for  it  in 
Fig.  21 ;  the  constantly  increasing  compression  it  has  received, 
between  the  gradually  hardening  cushion,  and  the  horny  frog, 
has  by  degrees  so  effectually  caused  its  absorption,  that  not  a 
vestige  of  it  remains — as  is  shown  by  g^  Fig.  21. 

The  diminution  that  has  taken  place  in  the  horny  frog  of 
Fig.  21  will  be  made  sufficiently  evident  by  a  comparison 
of  the  parts  marked  d  andy',  with  the  same  parts  in  Fig.  22. 


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THE  STABLE  BCOE 100 

A  Treatise  on  the  ISIaxagement  of  Horses,  in  Relation  to 
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and  localities.  Gathering  and  Preserving  Fruits,  Treatment  of  Diseases,  Destruction  of 
Insects,  Description  and  Uses  of  Implements,  &c.  Illustrated  with  upwards  of  I5it 
Fiscures,  representing  Different  Parts  of  Trees,  all  Practical  Operations,  forms  of  Trees, 
Designs  for  Plantations,  Implements,  &c.  By  P.  Barry,  of  the  Mount  Hope  Nurseries. 
Rochester,  N.  Y. 

FIELD'S  PEAR  CULTURE 75 

The  Pear  Garden  ;  or.  a  'IVeatise  on  the  Propapration  iiu'l 
Cultivation  cf  ihc  Pear  Tree,  with  Instnictions  for  Ita  Management  from  the  Seedliua 
to  the  Bearing  Tree.    By  Thomaa  v\  .  Field. 


Books  Published  by  A.  0.  Moore. 


8 


BEIDGEMAN'S  (THOS.)  YOUNG  GAKDENEK'S  ASSISTANT,  §1  50 

Ix  Three  Parts,  Containing  Cataloffues  of  Garden  an^i  Flower 
Seed,  with  Practical  Directions  under  each  head  for  the  Cultivation  of  Culinary  Vege- 
tables and  Flowers.  Also  directions  for  Cultivating  Fruit  Trees,  the  Grape  Vine,  &c. ; 
U)  which  is  tdded,  a  Calendar  to  eiich  part,  showing  the  work  necessary  to  be  done  ia 
the  various  departments  each  month  of  the  year.    One  volume  octavo. 

BSIDGEMAN'S  KITCHEN  GAEDENEE'S  INSTRUCTOE,  i Cloth,  50 

•'                   "  Clotli,  GO 

BEIDGEMAN'S  FLOEIST'S  GUIDE,    -          -         -         -  ♦  Cloth,  50 

"                "           -         -                   -  Cloth,  60 

BEIBGEMAN'S  EEUIT  CULTIVATOE'S  MAKiJAL,       -  i  Cloth,  50 

"                   "                         "               -  Cloth,  60 

COLE'S  AlylEEICAN  FEUIT  BOOK, 50 

Containing  Directions  for  Raising,  Propagating  and  Manag- 
Ing  Fruit  Trees,  Shrubs  and  Plants ;  with  a  description  of  the  Best  Varieties  of  Ft  zlt. 
Including  New  and  Valuable  Kinds. 

COLE'S  AMERICAN  VETEEINARIAN,         ....  50 

Containing  Diseases  of  Domestic  Animals,  their  Causes, 
Symptoms  and  Kemedies ;  with  Eules  for  Eestoring  and  Preserving  Health  by  good 
management ;  also  for  Training  and  Breeding. 

SCHENCK'S  GAEDENEE'S  TEXT  BOOK.       -  .  -         .  50 

Containing  Directions  for  the  Formation  and  Management 
of  the  Kitchen  Garden,  the  Culture  and  Use  of  Vegetables,  Fruits  and  Medicinal  Herbs. 

AMEEICAN  AECHITECT, 6  00 

The  American  Architect,  Comprising  original  Designs  of  Cheap 

Country  and  Village  Eesidences,  with  Details,  Specifications,  Plans  and  Directions, 
and  an  Estimate  of  the  Cost  of  Each  Design.  By  John  W.  Eitch,  Architect  First 
and  Second  Series,  4to,  bound  in  1  ^oL 

BUISI'S  (EOBEET)  AMERICAN  FLOWEE  GAEDEN  DIEECTOEY,     1  25 

Containing  Practical  Directions  for  the  Culture  of  Plants, 

in  the  Flower-Oarden,  Hot-House,  Green-House,  Eooms  or  Parlor  Windows,  for  every 
Month  in  the  Year ;  with  a  Description  of  the  Plants  most  desirable  in  each,  the  nature 
of  the  Soil  and  Situation  best  adapted  to  their  Growth,  the  Proper  Season  for  Trans- 
planting, &c. ;  with  Instructions  for  Erecting  a  Hot-House,  Green-House,  and  Laying 
out  a  Flower  Garden :  the  whole  adapted  to  cither  Large  or  Small  Gardens,  with  In- 
structions for  Preparing  the  Soil,  Propagating,  Planting,  Pruning,  Training  and  Fruit- 
ing the  Grape  Vine. 

THE  AMEEICAN  BIED  FANCIEE, 

Considered  with  reference  to  the  Breeding,  Rearing,  Feed- 
ing,  Management  and  Peculiarities  of  Cage  and  House  Birds.  lUustrated  with  Engrav- 
ings.   By  D.  Jay  Beowne. 

REEMELIN'S  (CHAS.)  VINE  DEESSEE'S  MANUAL,     -  -  50 

An    Illustrated    Treatise  on  Vineyards  and   Wine-Making, 

containing  Full  Instructions  as  to  Location  and  Soil,  Preparation  of  Ground,  Selection 

and  Propagation  of  Vines,  the  Treatment  of  Young  Vineyards,  Trimming  and  Training 

the  Vines,  Manures,  and  the  Making  of  Wine. 

DANA'S  MUCK  MANUAL,  FOE  THE  USE  OF  FARMERS,     -  1  00 

A   Treatise   on  the  Physical   and    Chemical   Properties   of 

Soils  and  Chemistry  of  Manures;  including,  also,  the  subject  of  Composts,  Artificial 
Manures  and  Irrigation.  A  new  edition,  with  a  Chapter  on  Bones  and  Snperphos* 
phates. 

CHEMICAL  FIELD  LECTURES  FOE  AGEICULTUEISTS,         -  1  00 

By  Dr.  Julius  Adolphus  Stockhardt,  Professor  in  the  Royal 
Academy  of  Agriculture  at  Tharant  Translated  from  the  German.  Edited,  with 
botes,  by  Jaji  s  £.  Techem^chks. 


Books  PuUislied  by  A.  0.  Moorp 

BUIST'S    (P.EOIRT)  FIMILY  KITCHEN  GAE2EKEII,     -         -        ^0  73 

Containing  Plain  and  Accueate  Desceiptions  of  <i^^  the  Dif- 
ferent  Species  and  Varieties  of  Culinary  Vegetables,  with  their  Botanical,  English, 
French  and  German  names,  alphabetlcallv  arranged,  with  the  Best  Mode  of  Oulfcivating 
them  in  the  Garden  or  under  Glass ;  also  Descriptions  and  Cbaracter  of  the  most  f^elect 
Fruits,  their  Management,  Propagation,  &c.  By  EoBtRT  BnsT,  author  of  the  "Am- 
erican Flower  Garden  Directory,"  &c. 

DOMESTIC  AND  OKNAMENTAL  POTJLTHY.  Plain  Plates,        -  1  00 

Do.  Do.  Do.         Colored  Plates,    -  2  00 

A  Teeatise  on  the  History  and  Mangement  of  Ornamental 

»nd  Domestic  Poultry.  By  Kev.  Edmttnd  Saul  Dixon,  A.M.,  with  large  ftdditioi!d  by 
J.  J.  Kekr,  M.D.  Illustrated  with  sixty-five  Original  Portraits,  engraved  expresrly  fol 
this  work.    Fourth  edition  revised. 

HOW  TO  BUILD  AHD  VENTILATE  HOT-HOUSES,        -  -  1  ?5 

A   Peactical   Treatise   on   the    Construction,  Heating  and 

Ventilation  of  Hot-Houses,  Including  Conservatories,  Green-HoBses,  Graperies  an4 
other  kinds  of  Horticultural  Structures,  with  Practical  Directions  for  their  Manage 
ment,  in  regard  to  Light,  Heat  and  Air.    Illustrated  with  numerous  engravings.    Bj 
P.  B.  Leuoharb,  Garden  Architect. 

CKORLTON'S  GRAPE-GKO WEE'S  GUIDE,    ....  60 

Intended  Especially    for   the  American   Climate.      Being-  a 

Practical  Treatise  on  the  Cultivation  of  the  Grape  Vine  in  each  department  of  Hot 
House,  Cold  Grapery,  Eetarding  House  and  Out-door  Culture.    "With  Plans  for  tW 
ConBtruction  of  the  Kequi.<ite  Buildings,  and  giving  the  best  methods  for  Heating  the 
same.    Every  department  being  fully  illustrated.    By  William  Choklton. 

NORTON'S  (JOHN  P.)  ELEMENTS  OF  SCIENTIFIC  AGRICULTUEE,       60 

Or,  the  Connection  between  Science  and  tee  Art  of  Practical 

Farming.  Prize  Essay  of  the  New  York  State  Agricultural  Society.  By  JonN  P. 
Norton,  M.A.,  Professor  of  Scientific  Agriculture  in  Tale  College.  Adapted  to  the 
use  of  Schools. 

JOHNSTON'S  (J.  F.  W.)  CATECHISM  OF  AGRICULTUEAL  CHEM- 
ISTRY AND  GEOLOGY, 25 

By  James  F.  W.  Johnston.  M.A.,  F.R.SS.L.  acd  E.,   Honorary 

Member  of  the  Koyal  Agricultural  Society  of  England,  and  author  of  "Lectures  on 
Agricultural  Chemistry  and  Geology.'"  With  an  Introduction  by  John  Pitkin  Nor- 
ton, M.A.,  late  Professor  of  Scientific  Agricultv.re  in  Yale  College.  With  notes  and 
additions  by  the  author,  prepared  expressly  for  this  edition,  and  an  Appendix  compiled 
by  the  Superintendent  of  Education  in  Nova  Scotia.    Adapted  to  the  use  of  Schools. 

JOHNSTON'S  (J.  F.  W.)  ELEMENTS  OF  AGRICULTURAL  CHEM- 
ISTRY AND  GEOLOGY, 1  00 

"With  a  Complete  Analytical  and  Alphabetical  Index  and  an 
American  Preface.    By  Hon.  Simon  Brown,  Editor  of  the  "New  England  Farmer.' 

JOHNSTON'S  I  JAMES  F.  W.)  AGRICULTURAL  CHEMISTRY,  1  25 

Lectures   on  the  Application  of  Chemistry  and  Geology  to 

Agriculture.  New  edition,  with  an  Appendix,  containing  the  Author's  ExperimentB 
In  Practical  Agriculture. 

the:  COMPLETE  FARMER  AND  AMERICAN  GARDENER,  1  25 

RuRAi,  Economist  and  New  Ai\rERiCAN  Gardener  ;  Confa'ninc; 
a  Compendious  Epitome  of  the  most  Important  Branches  of  Agriculture  and  Enral 
Economy ;  with  Practical  Directions  on  the  Cultivation  of  Fruits  and  Vefretablcs,  in- 
cluding Landscape  and  Ornamental  Gardening.  By  Thomas  G.  Fessendhn.  2  vols. 
In  one. 

FESSENDEN'S  (T.  G.)  AMERICAN  KITCHEN  GARDENER,    -  50 

Containing  Directions  for  the  Cultivation  of  Vegetables  and 

Garden  Fruits.    Cbth. 


BooltS  Puhlialiad  by  A.  0.  Moore. 

NASH'S  (J.  A.)  PE0GEE3SIVE  FARMER,    -  -  -  -  SO  60 

A   Sv:;iENTiFic  Trkatisk  on   Agricultural  Ciikmistry,  tiii-]  Gk- 

ology  of  Agriculture,  on  Plants  and  Animals,  Manures  and  Soils,  applied  to  Practical 
Agriculture ;  with  a  Catechism  of  Scientific  and  Practical  Agriculture.    By  J.  A.  Nasq 

BEECK-S  BOOK  OF  FLOWERS, 1  00 

Ix  WHICH  ARE  Described  all  the  Various  Hardy  Herbaceous 
Perennials,  Annuils,  Shrubs,  Plants  and  Evergreen  Trees,  with  Directions  for  their 
Cultivation. 

8  VIITH'S   (C.  H.  J.)  LANDSCAPE  GARDENING,  PAEKS  AND  PLEASUEE 

GEOUNDS. 1  25 

AViTH  Practical  Notes  on  Country  Residences,  Villas,  Public 

Parks  and  Gardens.  By  Charles  IT.  J.  Smith,  Landscape  Gardener  and  Garden 
Architect,  &c.  With  Notes  and  Additions  by  Lewis  F.  Allen,  autlior  of  "  Kural 
Architecture." 

XHE  COTTON  PLANTEE'S  MANUAL,  ....  1  00 

Bring  a  Compilation  of  Facts  from  the  Best  Authorities  on 
the  Culture  of  Cotton,  its  Natural  History,  Chemical  Analysis,  Trade  and  Consumption, 
and  embracing  a  History  of  Cotton  and  tie  Cotton  Gia.    By  J.  A.  Tcuxer. 

tJOBBETT'S  AMEEICAN  GAEDENER,  ....  50 

A  Treatise  on  the  Situation,  Soil,  and  Layino-out  of  Gardens, 
and  the  making  and  managing  ot  Hot-Beds  and  Green-Houses,  and  on  the  Propagation 
and  Cultivation  of  the  several  sorts  of  Vegetables,  Herbs,  Fruits  and  Flowers. 

ALLEN  (J.  FISK)  ON  THE  CULTUEE  OF  THE  GRAPE,        -  1  00 

A  Practical  Treatise  on  the  Culture  and  Treatment  of  the 

Grape  Vine,  embracing  its  History,  with  Directions  for  its  Treatment  in  the  Uiiited 
States  ol  America,  in  the  Open  Air  and  under  Glass  Structures,  with  and  without 
Artificial  Heat.    By  J.  Fisk  Allen  . 

ALLEN'S  (R.  L )  DISEASES  OF  DOMESTIC  ANIMALS,  -  T5 

Beino  A  History  and  Description  of  tite  Horse.  I\ruT.E,  Catti,e, 

Sheep,  Swine,  Poultry,  and  Farm  Dogs,  with  Directions  for  their  Manairement,  Breed- 
ing. Crossing,  Rearing,  Feeding,  and  Preparation  for  a  Profitable  Market ;  also,  their 
Diseases  and  Eeinedies.  together  with  full  Directions  for  the  Management  of  the  Dairy, 
and  the  comparative  Economy  and  Advantages  of  v.  orking  Animals,  the  Horse,  Mule, 
Oxen,  &c.    By  K.  L.  Allen. 

ALLEN'S  (R.  L.)  AMERICAN  FARM  BOOK,        -  -         -  1  00 

The  American  Farm  Book  ;  or,  a  Compend  of  American  ApTiciiI- 

ture,  being  a  Practical  Treatise  on  Soils,  Manures,  Draining,  Irrigation,  Grasses.  Grain, 
Eoots,  Fruits,  Cotton,  Tobacco,  Sugar  Cane,  Rice,  and  every  Staple  I'roduct  of  the 
United  States;  with  the  Best  Methods  of  Planting,  Cultivating  and  Preparation  for 
Market.    Hlustrated  with  more  than  100  -engravings.     By  R#L.  Ai.les. 

ALLEN'S   (L.  F.)  RURAL  ARCHITECTURE ;         -  -  -  1  25 

Being  a  Complete  Description  of  Farm  Houses,  Cottages,  and 

Out  Buildings,  comprising  "Wood  Houses,  Workshops.  Tool  Houses,  Carriage  and 
Wagon  Houses,  Stables,  Smoke  ^nd  Ash  Houses,  Ice  Houses.  Apiaries  or  Bee  Houses, 
poultry  Houses,  Babbitry,  Dovecote,  Piggery.  Barns,  and  SbeJs  for  Cattle,  i^-o.,  c^cc, 
together  with  Lawns,  Pleasure  Grounds,  and  Parks  ;  the  Flower,  Fruit,  and  Vege- 
table Garden;  also  useffil  and  ornamental  domestic  Animals  for  the  Country  Resident, 
ttc,  &c  Also,  the  best  method  of  conducting  water  into  Cattle  Yards  and  Houses. 
Beautifully  illustrated. 

TARING'S  ELEMENTS  OF  AGRICULTURE;  ...  75 

A  Book  foii  Young  Farmees,  with  QuESTiONS  for  the  use  ow 

Schools. 


Boolts  Fabli'ihed  by  A.  0.  Moore. 

PAKDEE  (S.  G.)   ON  STRAV/BEHRY  CULTURE  ;  -  -  SO  60 

A  Complete  Manual  for  the  Cultivation  of  the  Strawberry  , 
with  a  description  of  the  best  varieties. 

Also,  notfces  of  the  liaspberry,  Blackberry,  Currant,  Goosebe  ly,  and  Grape ;  with 
directions  for  theii  cultivation,  and  the  selection  of  the  best  varieties.  "  Every  process 
here  recommended  has  been  proved,  the  plans  of  others  tried,  and  the  result  is  hers 
given."  "With  a  valuable  appendix,  containing  the  observations  and  experienc  ol 
some  of  the  most  successful  cultivators  of  these  fruits  in  our  country. 

GUENON  ON  MILCH  COWS  ; 60 

A  Treatise  on  Milch  Cows,  wliereby  the  Quality  and  Quantity  of 
Milk  which  any  Cow  will  give  may  be  accurately  determined  by  observing  Natnra' 
Marks  or  External  Indications  alone;  the  length  of  time  she  will  continue  to  give 
Milk,  «&c.,  &c.  ByM.  Francis  Guenon,  of  Libourne,  France,  Translated  by  Kiciu)- 
I.A8  P.  Teist,  Esq. ;  with  Inti  oduction,  Remarks,  and  Observations  on  the  Cow  aad 
the  Dairy,  by  JofiN  S.  Skinner.  Illustrated  with  numerous  engravings.  Neatly 
done  up  in  paper  covers,  37  cts. 

AMERICAN  POULTRY  YARD ; 100 

Comprising  the  Origin,  History  and  Description  of  tlie  different 
Breeds  of  Domestic  Poultry,  with  complete  directions  for  their  Breeding,  Crossing, 
Rearing,  Fattening,  and  Preparation  for  Market ;  including  specific  directions  for 
Caponizing  Fowls,  and  for  the  Treatment  of  the  Principal  Diseases  to  which  they  are 
subject,  dLrawn  from  authentic  sources  and  personal  observation.  Illustrated  wiih 
numerous  engravings.    By  D.  J.  Bkowne. 

BROWNE'S  (D.  JAY)  FIELD  BOOK  OF  MANURES  ;         -  -  1  25 

Or,  American  Muck  Book  ;  Treating  of  the  Nature,  Properties, 
Sources,  History,  and  Operations  of  all  the  Principal  Fertilizers  and  Manures  in  Coni- 
mon  Use,  with  specific  directions  for  their  Preservation,  and  Application  to  the  Soil 
and  to  Crops ;  drawn  from  authentic  sources,  actual  experience,  and  personal  observa- 
tion, as  combined  with  the  Leading  Principles  of  Practical  and  Scientific  Agriculture- 
By  D.  Jay  Beowne. 

RANDALL'S  (H.  S.)  SHEEP  HUSBANDRY;  -         -  -  125 

With  an  Account  of  the  Different  Breeds,  and  ,e:eneral  direc- 
tions in  regard  to  Summer  and  Winter  Management,  Breeding,  and  the  Treatment  of 
Diseases,  with  Portraits  and  other  Engravings.    By  Heney  S.  Randall. 

THE  SHEPHERD'S  OWN  BOOK ;       •  -  -  -  -  2  00 

With  an  Account  of  the  Different  Breeds,  Diseases  and  Man- 

agement  of  Sheep,  and  General  Directions  in  regard  to  Summer  and  Winter  Man- 
agement, Breeding,  and  the  Treatment  of  Diseases;  with  Illustrative  Engravngs,  by 
YovATT  &  Randall  ;  embracing  Skinner's  Notes  on  the  Breed  and  Management  of 
bhoep  in  the  United  •  tates,  and  on  the  Culture  of  Fine  Wool. 

YOUATT  ON  SHEEP , 75 

Their  Breed,  Management  and  Diseases,  with  Illustrative  En- 
gravings; to  which  are  added  Remarks  on  the  Breeds  and  Management  of  Sheep  in 
the  United  States,  and  on  the  Culture  of  Fine  Wool  in  Silesia.    By  William  Youatt. 

YOUATT  AND  MARTIN  ON  CATTLE ;  -  -  -  .  1  25 

Being  a  Treatise  on  their  Breeds,  Management,  and  Diseases, 
comprising  a  full  History  of  the  Various  Races;  their  Origin,  Breeding,  and  Merits; 
their  capacity  for  Beef  and  Milk.  By  W.  Yoitatt  and  W.  C.  L.  Martin.  The  whole 
forming  a  Complete  Guide  for  the  Farmer,  the  Amateur,  and  the  Veterinary  Surg';nn. 
with  100  Illustrations.    Edited  by  Ambrosk  Stevens. 

yOUATT  ON  THE  HORSE  ;       -  -  -  -    '     -  -  1  ?5 

Youatt  on  the  Structure  and  Diseases  of  the  Horse,  ^\iih 
their  Remedies.  Also,  Practical  Rules  for  Buyers,  Breeders,  Smiths,  <fcc.  Fdited  by 
W.  C.  Spoonek,  M.R.C  "V  8.  With  an  account  of  the  Breeds  in  the  United  tates,  l)y 
llmBY  s.  Randall 


Books  Fuhlishcd  hy  A.  0.  Mooke. 

yOUATT  AI^D  MARTIN  ON  TEE  HOG ;      -       .  -         -  -  SO  75 

A  Treatise  on  the  Breeds.  Management,  and  Medical  Thkat- 

ment  of  Swine,  with  Directions  for  Salting  Pork,  and  Curing  Tacon  and  Hams  '  y 
AVm.  Youatt,  V.S  ,  and  W.  G  L.  Mautin  Edited  by  Ambbobe  STEVK^8.  illustrated 
with  Engravings  drawn  from  life 

BLAXE'S  (REV.  JOHN  L.)  FARMER  AT  HOME;  -  1  '^5 

xV  Family  Text  Book  for  the  Country  ;  Deinpr  a  Cyclopedia  of 
Agricultural  Implements  and  Productions,  and  of  the  more  important  topics  in  Do- 
mestic Economy,  .  cience,  and  Literature,  adapted  to  Eural  Life.     By  Eev  John  L 

|..AKE,DD. 

MUNN'S  (B.)  PRACTICAL  LAND  DRAINER ;         -  -  -  50 

Being  a  Treatise  on  Draining  Land,  in  which  the  most  approved 
systems  ol  Drainage  are  explained,  and  their  diflFerences  and  comparative  merits  dis- 
cussed; with  fall  Directions  for  the  Cutting  and  Making  of  Drains,  with  Eemarks  upon 
the  various  malerials  of  which  they  may  be  constructed.  With  many  illustrations,  i  y 
h.  McNN,  Landscape  Gardener. 

ELLIOTT'S   AMERICAN  FRUIT   GROWER'S  GUIDE   IN    ORCHARD 

AND  GARDEN  ; 1  25 

Being  a  Compend  of  the  History,  Modes  of  Propagation,  Cul- 
ture,  &C.,  of  Fruit  Trees  and  Sh  ubs,  with  descriptions  of  nearly  all  the  varieties  of 
Jruits  cultivated  in  this  country;  and  Notes  of  their  adaptation  to  localities,  soi's,  and 
a  complete  list  of  i  ruits  worthy  of  cultivation,    i  y  F.  E.  Elliott,  Pomologist. 

JRACTICAL  FRUIT,   FLOWER,   AND  KITCHEN  GARDENER'S  COM- 
PANION;   1  GO 

With  a  Calendar.  By  Patrick  Neill,  LL.B..  F.R.S.E.,  Secre- 
tary of  the  Eoyal  Caledonian  Horticultural  Society.  Adapted  to  the  United  States 
from  the  fourth  edition,  revised  and  improved  by  the  author.  Edited  by  G.Emep.son, 
M  D.,  Editor  of  "The  American  Farmer's  Encyclopedia."'  "With  Notes  and  Additions 
by  E.  G  Pardee,  author  of  "Manual  of  the  Strawberry  Culture."    "With  illustrations 

STEPHENS'  (HENRY)  BOOK  OF  THE  FARM;  -  -  4  GO 

A  Complete  Guide  to  the  Farmer,  Steward,  Plowman,   Cat- 

tleman,  Shepherd.  Field  Worker,  and  Dairy  Maid  By  IIenrt  Stephens.  With  Four 
Hundred  and  Fifty  Illustrations ;  to  which  are  added  Explanatory  Notes,  Eemarks, 
&c.,  by  J  S  Sklnnee.     Eeally  one  of  the  best  books  a  farmer  can  possess 

PEDDERS'  (JAMES)  FARMERS'  LA^^D  MEASURER;    -  -  50 

Or,  Pocket  Companion  ;  Showing:  at  one  view  the  Contents  of  any 
Piece  of  Land  from  Dimensions  taken  in  Yards.  With  a  set  of  Useful  Agricnlturv 
Tables. 

WHITE'S  (W.  N.)  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH;       -  -  1  25 

Or,  the  Kitchen  and  Fruit  Garden,  with  the  best  methods  for 

their  Cultivation  ;  together  with  hints  upon  Landscape  and  Flower  Gardening;  con- 
taining modes  of  culture  and  descriptions  of  the  species  and  varieties  of  the  Culinary 
Vegetables,  Fruit  Trees,  and  Fruits,  and  a  select  list  of  Ornamental  Trees  and  Plants 
found  by  trial  adapted  to  the  States  of  the  Union  south  of  Pennsylvania,  with  Garden- 
ing Calendars  for  the  same.    Ey  Wm.  N.  White,  of  Athens,  Georgia. 

EASTWOOD  (B.)  ON  THE  CULTIVATION  OF  THE  CRANBERRY ;  50 

With  a  Description  of  the  best  Varieties.     By  B.  Eastwood, 

"Septimus"  of  the  New  York  Tribune. 
AMERICAN  BEE-KEEPER'S  MANUAL ;       ...  -  100 

Being  a  Practical  Treatise  on  the  History  and   Domfsttc 

Economy  of  the  Honey  Bee,  embracing  a  full  Illustration  of  the  whole  subject,  uifh 
the  most  approved  methods  of  managing  this  Insect,  through  every  branch  of  itj 
Cultu  e;  the  resnU  of  many  years' experience.  Illustrated  with  ma-ay  enpravluga 
By  T.  B.  MiNKR. 


8  JBgoJcs  ruUlshcd  by  A.  0.  Moore. 


THAER'S  (ALBERT  DO  AGRICULTURE  -  -  -  S2  CO 

'J'he  PkIiVciples  of  Agriculture,  by  Albi  rt  D.  Th\er  ;  trans- 
lated by  "William  Shaw  and  Cuthbeet  U'.  Johnson,  Esq.,  F.E.S.  With  a  Memoir 
of  the  Author.     1  vol   8vo. 

This  work  is  regarded  by  those  who  are  competent  to  judge  as  one  of  the  most 
■beautiful  works  that  has  ever  appeared  on  the  subject  of  Agriculture  At  the  same 
time  that  it  is  eminently  practical,  it  is  philosoi  hical,  and,  even  to  the  general  reader, 
remarkably  entertainmg. 

BOUSSINGAULT'S  (J.  E.)  RURAL  ECONOMY,  -  -  1  25 

In  its  Relations  to  Chemistry,  Physics,  and  Meteorology  : 
or,  Chemistry  applied  to  Agriculture.  By  J.  B.  Boitssingaoxt.  Translated,  with 
notes,  etc.,  by  Geoege  Law,  Agriculturist. 

"  The  work  is  the  fruit  of  a  long  life  of  study  and  expeiriment,  and  its  perusal  will 
aid  the  farmer  greatly  in  obtaining  a  practical  and  scientific  knowledge  of  his  profes 
slon." 

MYSTERIES  OF  BEE-KEEPING  EXPLAINED ;     -  -         -  1  00 

Being  a  Complete  Analysis  of  the  Whole  Subject,^  consist in<^ 
of  the  Natural  History  of  Bees ;  Directions  for  obtaining  the  greatest  amount  of  Pure 
Surplus  Honey  with  the  least  possible  expense;  Eemedies  for  losses  given,  and  the 
Science  of  Luck  fully  illustrated;  the  result  of  more  than  twenty  years'  experience  in 
extensive  -Apiaries.    By  M  Quinbv. 

THE  COTTAGE  AND  FARM  BEE-KEEPER ;  -  -  -  60 

A  Practical  Work,  by  a  Country  Curate. 

WEEKS  (JOHN  M.)  ON  BEES.-A  MANUAL ;        -         -  *       -  50 

Or,  an  Easy  Method  of  Managing  Bees  in  the  most  profitable 
manner  to  their  owner;  with  infallible  rules  to  prevent  their  destruction  by  the  Moth. 
With  an  appendix,  by  Woostek  A.  Flandebs. 

THE  ROSE; -  50 

Being  a  Practical  Treatise  on  the  Propagation,  Cultivation, 
and  Management  »f  the  Eose  in  all  Seasons;  with  a  li'^t  of  Choice  and  Approved  Varie- 
ties, adapted  to  the  Climate  of  the  United  States;  to  which  is  added  full  directions  foi 
the  Treatment  of  the  Dahlia,    Illustrated  by  Engravings. 

MOORE'S  RURAL  HAND  BOOKS, 1  25 

First  Series,  rontaiuing  Treatises  on — 

The  Hoese,  The  Pests  of  the  Farm, 

The  Hog,  Domestic  Fowls,  and 

Tue  Hoxey  Bee,  The  Cow, 

Second  Series,  containing —  _        .        -        .  1  25 

£vekt  Lady  hek  own  Flowee  Gaedenee,        Essay  on  Manures, 
Elements  of  Aseicultuev:,  American  JKitciien  Gardener, 

His.D  Fancijie,  A-mbeican  Rose  Cultukist. 

Third  Series,  containing — 1  25 

Miles  on  the  Horse's  Foot,  Vine  Dresser's  Manual, 

The  Rabbit  Fanciee,  Bee-Keeii  e's  Chart, 

Weeks  on  Bees,  Chemistey  made  Easy. 

Fourth  Series,  containing —       -  ...  1  25 

Persoz  on  the  Vine,  Hooper's  Dog  and  Guk, 

LlEBIG  S  FaMILIAE  LETTERS,  SKILLFUL  HOUSEWIFE, 

Browne's  Memoirs  of  Indian  Corn. 
RICHARDSON  ON  DCGS  :  THEIR  ORIGIN  Al^ D  VARIETIES.      .  50 

Directions  as  to  their  General  Management.     With  numeroua 
original  anecdotes.    Also,  Complete  Instructions  as  to  Treatment  under  Disease.     By 
II    I).  Richardson.    Illustrated  with  numerous  wood  engravings. 
Tiiis  Is  not  only  a  cheap  work,  but  one  of  tiic  best  ever  published  on  the  Dog, 


Boohs  PiiUished  hy  A.  0.  Moore.  9 

LIEBIG'S  (JUSTUS)  FAMILIAR  LECTURES  ON  CHEMISTRY,  SO  50 

AxD  ITS  Relation  to  Commerce,  Physiology,  and  Agriculture. 

Edited  by  Jons  Gardkwbr,  M.D. 
BEMENT'S  (C.  N.)  RABBIT  FANCIER;  ....  5q 

A  Treatise  on  the  Breeding,  Rearing,  Feeding,  and  General 
Management  of  Rabbits,  with  remarks  upon  their  diseases  and  remedies,  to  whicli  are 
adilod  full  directions  for  the  construction  of  Hutches,  Eabbitries,  «fec.,  together  with 
recipes  for  cooking  and  dressing  for  the  Table.    Beautifully  illustrated. 

THOMPSON  (R.  D.)  OIC  THE  FOOD  OF  ANIMALS  -  .  75 

Experimental  Researches  on  the  Food  of  Animals  and  the 

Fattening  of  Cattle;  with  remarks  on  the  Food  of  Man.  Based  upon  Experiments 
undertaken  by  order  of  the  British  Government,  by  Eobebt  Dundas  Thomison,  M.D.. 
Lecturer  on  Practical  Chemistry,  University  of  Glasgow. 

THE  WESTERN  FRUIT  BOOK ; 1  25 

Being  a  Compend  of  the  History,  Modes  of  Propagation,  Cul- 
ture,  «fec.,  of  Fruit  Trees  and  Shrubs,  &c.,  &c.    By  F.  B.  Eluott. 

THE  SKILLFUL  HOUSEWIFE ;......  50 

Or  Complete  Guide  to  Domestic  Cookery,  Taste,  Comfort,  and 

Economy,  embracing  659  recipes  pertaining  to  Household  Duties,  the  care  of  Health, 
Gardening,  Birds,  Education  of  Children,  &c.,  &a    By  Mrs  L.  G.  Abkix. 

THE  AMERICAN  FLORIST'S  GUIDE; 75 

Comprising  the  American  Rose  Culturist  and  Every  Lady  heb 
own  Flower  Gardener. 

EVERY  LADY  HER  G  w  N  FLOWER  GARDENER ;  .  .  50 

Addressed  to  the  Industrious  and  Economical  only  ;  contain inir 
Blmple  and  practical  Directions  for  Cultivating  Plants  and  Flowers:  also,  Illnts  for  tho 
Management  of  Flowers  in  Rooms,  with  brief  Botanical  Descrijitions  of  Plant?  nnd 
Flowers.    The  whole  in  plain  and  simple  language.    By  Louisa  J  onNso.;. 

FISH  CULTURE; 1    00 

A  Treatise  on  the  Artificial  Propagation  of  certain  kinds  op 
Fish,  with  the  description  and  habits  of  such  kinds  as  are  most  suitable  for  pisciculture. 
Also  directions  for  the  most  successful  methods  of  Angline,  illustrated  with  numerous 
engravings  By  Theodatus  Gaklick,  M.D.,  Vice  President  of  Cleveland  Academy 
of  Natural  Science. 

FLINT  OK  G51A33ES ; 1    25 

A  Practical  Treatise  on  Grasses  and  Forage  Plants,  compris- 

Ing  their  natural  history,  comparative  nutritive  value,  methods  of  cultivating,  cutting, 
and  curing,  and  the  management  of  grass  lands.  By  Chas.  L.  Flint,  A.M.,  Secretary 
of  Mass.  State  Board  of  Agriculture. 

WARDER  ON  HEDGE??  AND  EVERGREENS  ;        -  ^         -  1    00 

A  Manual  on  Eive  Fences,  with  particular  directions  for  their 
plantine,  culture  and  trimminsr,  especially  with  regard  to  the  Madura  hedges,  and 
how  to'make  it.  Also  an  essay  on  Evergreens,  their  varieties,  propagation,  transplant- 
ing and  culture  in  the  United  States.  By  John  A.  Wardke,  M.D.,  President  of 
Cincinnati  Horticultural  Society. 


IG  Books  Published  by  A.  0.  Moore. 


MOORE'S 

Janb  gochs  ta  gitnl  anb  gcnustic  (Sronomg. 

All  arranged  and  adapted  to  the  Use  qf  American  Farmers. 

f>RIC£    35    CENTS    EACSl. 

SOGS ; 

Their  Origin,  Varieties  and  Management,  with  a  View  to  Pro- 
fit, and  Treatment  under  Disease;  also  Plain  Directions  relative  to  the  most  approved 
fiodes  of  preserving  their  Flet^h.  By  11.  D.  Kicuakdso>',  author  of  "The  Hive  and  the 
Honey  Bee,"  &c.,  &c.    "With  illustrations — 12mo,' 

THE  KIVE  AND  THE  HONEY  BEE; 

With  Plain  Directions  for  Obtaining  a  Considerable  Annual 

Income  from  this  brunch  of  Eural  Economy;  also  an  Account  of  the  Diseases  of  Bees 
<tEd  their  Eemediea,  and  Eemarks  as  to  their  Enemies,  and  the  best  mode  of  protecting 
the  Hives  from  their  attacks.    By  H.  D.  Eichakdson.    With  illuj^trations. 

DOMESTIC  roWLS ; 

Their    Natural    History,   Breeding,  Rearing,  and  General 

Mane^  -^tnent  By  H.  D.  Eichaedson,  author  of  "  The  Natural  History  of  the  Fossil 
Deer,'  ^c.    "With  illustrations. 

THE  HORSE ; 

Their  Origin  and  Yarieties  ;  with  Plain  Directions  as  to  the 

Breeding  Eearing,  and  General  Management,  with  Instructions  as  to  the  Treatment  of 
Disease.    Handsomely  illustrated— 12mo.    By  H.  D.  Eichaedson. 

THE  ROSS; 

The  American  Rose  Culturist  ;  beino-  a  Practical  Treatise  ou  the 
Propagati  m,  Cultivation,  and  Management  in  all  Seasons,  &c  With  full  directions  for 
the  Treat-aent  of  the  Dahlia. 

THE  PESTS  OF  THE  EARM ; 

With  Instrucions  for  their  Extirpation  ;  being"  a  Manual  of 
Plain  Diivctions  for  the  certain  Destruction  of  every  description  of  Vermin.  With 
numerous  Illustrations  on  Wood. 

AN  ESSAY  OH  MANURES ; 

Submitted  to  the  Trustees  of  the  Massachusetts  Society  for 

Promoting  Agriculture,  for  their  Premium.    By  Samttel  H.  Dana. 

THE  AMERICAN  BIRD  FANCIER ; 

Considered  with  Reference  to  the  Breeding,  Rearing,  Feed- 
Ing,  Management,  and  Peculiarities  of  Cage  and  House  Birds.  Illustrated  with  Engrav- 
ings.   By  D.  Jay  Beownb. 

CHEMISTRY  MADE  EASY ; 

For  the  Use  of  Farmers.     By  J.  Topham. 
ELEMENTS  OF  AGRICULTURE ; 

Translated  from  the  French,  and  Adapted  to  the  use  of  American 

Farmers.    By  F.  G.  Skinnkb. 


Books  Published  by  A.  0.  MooPuE.  11 

THE  HOHSE'S  FOOT  AND  HOW  TO  KEEP  IT  SOUND; 

With  Cuts,  illustrating  the  Anatomy  of  the  Foot,  and  containing 
valuable  hints  on  shoeing  and  stable  management,  both  in  health  and  disease.  By  Wil- 
liam Miles. 

THE  SKILLFUL  HOUSEWIFE ; 

Or,  Complete  Guide  to  Domestic  Cookery,  Taste,  Comfort,  and  Econ- 
omy, embracing  659  recipes  pertaining  to  Household  Duties,  the  care  of  Health,  Gar 
dening,  Birds,  Education  of  Children,  &c.,  &c.    By  Mrs.  L.  G.  Abell. 

THE  AMERICAN  KITCHEN  GARDENER ; 

Containing  Directions  for  the  Cultivation  of  Vegetables  ahd 

Garden  Fruits.    By  T.  G.  Fessenden. 

CHINESE  SUGAR  CANS  A??D  SUGAR  MAKING  : 

Its  History,  Culture,  and  Adaptation  to  the  Son,,  Clt5!.vte. 

and  Economy  of  the  United  States,  "with  an  account  of  various  processes  of  Manufac- 
turing Sugar.  Drawn  from  authentic  sources  by  Cuarles  F.  Staksbuky,  A.M.,  late 
Commissioner  at  the  Exhibition  of  all  Nations  at  London. 

PERSOZ'  CULTURE  OF  THE  VINE  ; 

A  Xew  Process  for  the  Culture  of  the  Tine,  by  Peksoz,  Pro- 
fessor to  the  Faculty  of  Sciences  of  Strasbourg;  directing  Professor  of  the  School 
of  Pharmacy  of  the  same  city.    Translated  by  J.  O'C.  Baeclay,  Surgeon  U.  S.  N. 

THE  BSE  KEEPER'S  CHART; 

Being  a  Brief  Practical  Treatise  on  the  Instinct.  Habits,  niid 
Management  of  the  Honey  Bee,  in  all  its  various  branches,  the  result  of  many  years' 
practical  experience,  whereby  the  author  has  been  enabled  to  divest  the  subjoctof 
much  that  has  been  consideed  mysterious  and  diflScult  to  overcome,  and  render  h 
more  sure,  profitable,  and  Interesting  to  every  one,  than  it  has  heretofore  been.  By 
E.  "W.  Puelps. 

EVERY  LADY  HER  OY/IH  FLOWER  GARDENER; 

Addressed  to  the  Industrious  and  Economical  only;  containins 
Simple  and  Practical  Directions  for  Cultivating  Plants  and  Flowers;  ali=o.  Hints  for 
the  Management  of  Flowers  in  Kooms,  with  brief  Botanical  Descriptions  of  Plants  and 
Flower*.     The  whole  in  plain  and  simple  language.    By  Louisa  Johnson. 

THE  GOV/ ;  DAIRY  HUSBANDRY  AND  CATTLE  SEEEDING. 

By  M.  M.  Milburn.  and  revised  by  H.  D.  Richardson  and  Ambrose 

Stevens.    "With  Illustrations. 
WILSON  ON  THE  CULTURE  OF  FLAX  ; 

Its  Treatment,  Agricultural  and  Technical  ;   delivered  before 
the  New  York  State  Agricultural  Society,  at  the  Annual  Fair  at  Saratoga,  in  Septem- 
ber last,  by  John  Wilson,  late  President  of  the  Eoyal  Agricultural  Collece  at  Ciren 
cester,  England. 

WEEKS  ON  BEES:    A  MANUAL. 

Or,  an  Easy  Method  of  Managing  Bees  in  the  most  peofita- 
ble  manner  to  their  owner,  with  infallible  rules  to  prevent  their  destruction  by  tbs 
Moth ;  with  an  Appendix  by  Woosteb  A.  Flandees. 

EEEMELIN'S  (CHAS.)  VINE  DRESSER'S  MANUAL ; 

Containing  full  Instructions  as  to  Location  and  Soil  ;  Prepara- 
tion of  Ground;  Selection  and  Propagation  ofVtn'-s;  the  Treatment  of  a  Young 
Vineyard  ;  trimming  and  training  the  vines;  manures  and  the  making  of  Mine.  Every 
department  illustrated. 

HYDE'S  CHINESE  SUGAR  CANE; 

Coxtaining  it3  History,  Mode  of  Culture,  Manufacture  of  the 
&ugar,  &C. ;  witH  Reports  of  its  success  in  different  parts  of  the  United  Statea 


l?i  Books  PuUlshed  hy  A.  0.  Moore, 


BEMENT'S  (C.  M.)  BABBIT  FANCIER ; 

A  Treatise  on  the  J3keeding,  Rearing,  Feeding,  and  General 
Management  of  Eabbits,  with  remarks  upon  their  diseases  and  remedies;  to  which 
are  added  full  directions  for  the  construction  of  Hatches,  Babbitries,  &c.,  together  with 
recipes  for  cooking  and  dressing  for  the  table. 

KICHAEDSON  ON  DOGS :  THEIE  GSIGIN  AND  VAEIETIES ; 

Directions  as  to  their  General  Management.     With  r.umcrr'n  < 
original  anecdotes.    Also  Complete  Instructions  as  to  Treatment  under  Disease.    JJy 
H.  D.  EicuARDSON.    Illustrated  with  numerous  wood  engravings. 
This  is  not  only  a  cheap,  but  one  of  the  best  works  ever  published  on  the  Dog. 

LIEBIG'S  (JUSTUS)  FAMILIAR  LETTERS  ON  CHEMISTRY ; 

And  its  relation  to  Commerce,  Physiology,  and  Agriculture 
Edited  by  JonK  Gaedenee,  M.D. 

THE  DOG  AJD  GUN; 

A  few  Loose  Chapters  on  Shooting,  among:  which  will  be  found 

geme  anecdotes  and  incidents.    Also  instructions  for  Dog  Breaking,  and  iptArestiog 
letters  frjm  Sportsmen.    By  a  Bad  Suot. 

THE   PRESERVATION   OF  FOOD; 

The  YARiors  methods  of  preserving  Meats,  Fruits,  Vegetables, 
Milk,  Butter.  Grain,  &c.,  by  drying,  smoking,  pickling,  and  other  processes.  By  K. 
GdODEicii  BiiiTir. 


Webster  Family  Library  of  Veterinary  Medicine 

Cummings  School  Of  Veterinary  ^tein  7 
Tufts  University 

200  Westboro  Road 
Worth  Grafton,  MA  01536 


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